Song In Her Heart
by Nariko7star
Summary: Kim Boo Ki has done everything she can to keep her heart at a safe distance from Song Woo Bin. But when he suddenly appears in front of her asking for help, she can't refuse. Will she be able to help him and Yoon Ji-Hoo stop the men who are trying to kill their friends? Continuation from Heart's Song
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: ANY RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTERS, I DO NOT OWN. SAIA IS MY OWN CREATION.**

**PROLOGUE: **

He weaves and darts his way through the alley ways, desperately trying to get away from his pursuers. He's getting tired but he knows that if he stops, he's dead. These people do not take kindly to traitors.

_I'm not a traitor though. I'm just trying to do the right thing. Is it so wrong to want to be a good guy for a change?_

Turning a corner into yet another alley, his chest suddenly slams into a very solid object and he falls flat onto his back. Gasping for air, he squints up to see a dark shadow reach for him and he desperately tries to move away. His back hits the brick wall with a crack as he is lifted up and slammed into it.

"Do you have any idea what you have done?" his attacker snarls and spits in his face. "You have ruined the whole deal and you will pay with your life!"

The man squeezes his eyes shut, preparing himself for the blow but instead he hears a loud thud and his attacker suddenly lets him go. Opening his eyes, he watches in shock as the bigger man slowly sinks to the ground in front of him, unconscious.

"You need to get out of here." A soft voice says. The young woman is already sporting a fierce black eye and her clothes are torn but she looks ready for anything as she looks around for the other men.

"I can't just leave you here like this. You're too young to be taking on these men by yourself. Your father will never forgive me if anything happens to you."

"I can take care of myself. He knows that and if I don't he will punish me anyways. He's your father too you know. I don't care what anyone else says. You are the only member of the family that treats me like a human being instead of a thing."

"I'm only your half-brother, the son of your father's mistress for that matter. You don't owe me anything."

"Yes. I do." Taking out an envelope from her pocket, she pushes it into his hands. "This is all the money that I managed to save up from my job after school. Take it. It's not much but it should help you get some place safe."

"Boo Ki… I can't take this. You need this more than I do."

She furiously shakes her head and her hair flies around her face. She dyed it to a deep red color today and father is furious. Her black eye is a testament to his rage, something the entire family respects more than censures.

"Just go! They are coming! You don't have time to argue!" Boo Ki shoves him towards the street and he reluctantly leaves. Looking back at her one last time, her step-brother makes her a promise.

_I promise that someday I will return the favor Boo Ki._

**(^_^)**

**[NINE YEARS LATER]**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

This past year has gone by so fast. So much has happened. My best friend Saia and I have managed to get wrapped up in an international government conspiracy. I thought that after walking away from my past, I would never be involved in such things again but I was wrong. We were attacked, my apartment was blown up, and we lost people very important to us.

Five months ago, Yoon Ji-Hoo and Song Woo Bin died in a car explosion. Saia and Ji-Hoo had been so I love. It was heartbreaking to see her so devastated. She has been trying so hard to be strong but she is overdoing it. Ji-Hoo had given her everything in his will which included the Foundation, the Hospital, and the Clinic his grandfather started. His family believed that the best way to heal someone was not just through Medicine but also through the Arts. It's a noble idea but it angers me that he has put all that pressure on my friend. Between her work and joining the Seoul Ballet Company (SBC), she hardly has time for anything or anyone.

As for me, I was devastated to learn about Woo Bin's death. He was a good friend. He was kind and protective, something I am not used to from a man. Even now I won't admit my feelings for him to myself or to anyone else. He was a Chaebol and engaged to Ha Jae Kyung. My heart has no right to even go that route.

"Why the long face?" a playful voice asks me. I look up at Saia and my jaw drops in surprise. She has been so depressed since Ji-Hoo died that I was beginning to think I would never see my playful and lively friend again. Something is definitely up. _She's practically glowing._

"What is up with you? Did you get laid?" I ask in surprise. Her eyes narrow at me and she looks at me in disgust.

"Geez… You know I'm not like that."

I turn my attention to her bodyguard, DK, and he raises his hands. "Don't look at me. I'm not getting involved."

"You guys are no fun. I know that you just got back from Tokyo this morning and you don't look like your drunk. You aren't taking drugs now are you?"

Saia slaps my arm and it's then that I notice the rock on her finger. Snatching her hand I gape at it. "Oh my god… Look at the size of that thing! Did you get married? Who is the guy? It has to be some kind of drunken marriage thing, right? I know you would have told me if you had a new boyfriend."

She sighs in exasperation and shakes her head.

"It's just a promise." She says vaguely.

"A promise of what?" I ask suspiciously. She pulls her hand out of mine and smiles.

"I'll tell you someday but I came here because I have a surprise for you." Pulling an envelope out of her purse she hands it to me.

"What's this?" I ask.

"Open it."

Inside is a plane ticket to New York and a room key for a hotel room.

"I'm sending my best friend on vacation." She says with a bright smile.

**A/N: Hello! For anyone who has already read Heart's Song, I think you already have a good idea of what is going on. For those of you that haven't, I do recommend it to avoid confusion but I will do my best to explain things clearly. I am looking forward to writing this story. ^_^ Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

_How did I manage to let Saia talk me into this? I don't have time for a vacation! What was I thinking!_

I shake my head as the taxi takes me to my hotel. Pushing my short, dark red hair behind my ears I look out at the city. I've never been to the United States. This will definitely be a new experience for me but I don't understand why Saia insisted that I come to New York. I would have preferred something quieter like a warm, sandy beach somewhere. New York just looks like a bigger, American version of Seoul.

Arriving at the hotel, I am looking forward to getting some sleep. I didn't sleep very well on the plane. Unlocking the door to my room, I leave my luggage by the door. Turning to survey the room, I scrutinize the two men that I sensed where in here before I unlocked my door. _Who are these idiots? Do they seriously want to die? _One man stands looking out the window and the other stands up from his chair to face me. He looks familiar and I suddenly feel like I can't breathe.

"Yo Boo Ki! How are you?" Woo Bin quietly says. I stare at him in shock. _It can't be him! They told me he was dead! I even went to his funeral!_ His shoulders are broader as if he has been working out more and his hair is very short. Only a little on the top is left and it's spiked up. His 5 o'clock shadow gives him a more rugged appearance and I shake my head in disbelief. _No. This has to be some kind of sick joke. This man cannot be Woo Bin…_

"Who are you? Do you have any idea how rude it is to come into someone's room uninvited?" I manage to ask in a bored tone.

The second man turns away from the window and I don't recognize him at first. The muscles on his arms and chest are broader and more defined. His hair is a dark brown and cut a lot shorter than it was before. It's still longer in the front and falls along his right eye. His voice hasn't changed one bit though.

"It's us Kim Boo Ki. This isn't a trick." Ji-Hoo calmly says. I've always prided myself on my logic. I can't deny what is right in front of me but I don't understand why they let everyone think they are dead. I suddenly feel my anger start to boil. Turning towards Woo Bin I can see him watching me warily. _He already knows how angry I can get when I'm crossed... Only Woo Bin and Saia know that… I don't show that side of me very often._

"You son-of-a-bitch…" I hiss at Woo Bin and march towards him. He holds his hands up and backs away from me.

"Now listen Boo Ki, I will explain everything…"

"Do you have any idea how upset everyone is? Yi-Jung and Jun Pyo are devastated! If Ga Eul wasn't pregnant, Yi Jung probably would have fallen apart! And you!" I point at Ji-Hoo. "Do you have any idea what Saia has been through? How dare you!"

"I know I've put her through a lot. I'm sorry." Ji-Hoo quietly says.

"You won't get off that easy! She has been through hell these past five months! She is about ready to collapse because she has been pushing herself so hard! And she does it all because of you!" I snarl. He looks uncomfortable at my words and looks away from me.

Turning back towards Woo Bin, I am torn between wanting to knock him out and wanting to hug him. Like it or not I've missed him but there is no way in hell that I am going to let him know that. Finally putting a cap on my anger, I regain my cool composure and cross my arms.

"Where the fuck have the two of you been?"

He sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets. "If you will give us a chance to explain, we will tell you everything. Sit down Boo Ki-ssi."

Taking a deep breath, I sit down and glare at him. "Fine. Explain away."

The night of the explosion, one of Woo Bin's men had discovered the bomb under Ji-Hoo's car before it went off. Woo Bin and Ji-Hoo managed to run but Woo Bin's man got caught in the blast. Woo Bin realized that if the Associates that were trying to kill the F4 thought that he and Ji-Hoo were dead, then they would be able to look for ways to bring them down without anyone knowing about it. With the help of Woo Bin's father they made everyone, including all of us, believe that they were killed in the explosion. For the past five months they have been hunting down the Associates one by one. Thanks to Kang Woo and Saia, Tae Mu had been captured and was preparing to go to trial. Woo Bin and Ji-Hoo discovered that there are nine Associates total and all of them hold important political positions across the globe.

"We have managed to discover and bring down 5 of them so far, including Tae Mu. That leaves four left. One here in the US, one in England, one in Italy, and one in Colombia." Woo Bin says.

"Colombia? You realize how dangerous that is, right? If any of the wrong people discover who either of you are, you will be held for ransom regardless of who believes you are dead or not." I say.

"We are aware of the danger. We will take every precaution to be sure that doesn't happen." Ji-Hoo says.

"Why are you here? Why are you telling me all of this?"

"We need your help Boo Ki-ssi." Woo Bin leans forward in his chair and locks his eyes with mine. I feel my heart speed up but narrow my eyes at him.

"My help? What can I do? Besides, I need to get back to the restaurant. I can't afford to be running around after these bastards."

"That's why I want to hire you as a "consultant" of sorts. My father will make sure the restaurant will be taken care of and you will still have an income. Plus I will be paying you more than you make there. There are some things only a woman can do, like talking to wives and daughters or flirting with the sons of these guys. We need all the information on them we can get." He says.

"You're going to hire me?" I scoff. Suddenly realizing something, I turn to Ji-Hoo. "Saia already knows the truth, doesn't she? That's why she sent me here."

Ji-Hoo nods. "I met her in Tokyo. I explained everything to her and she agreed to help us. She also gave us a lot of useful information from Kang Woo."

"Well that explains her change in attitude… Wait… Oh my god… Did you propose to her?"

Ji-Hoo's expression remains impassive but I see the blush rising to his cheeks and his gaze falls to the floor.

"You did what? Ji-Hoo! Why didn't you tell me?" Woo Bin looks at him in surprise.

"…We can't get married till I go home so I just kept it to myself." He calmly says.

"Congratulations Ji-Hoo!" Woo Bin says with a grin and pats his friends shoulder. Ji-Hoo smiles at his friend and nods.

"I'm her best friend… She should have told me!" I say in disbelief.

"I asked her not to tell you anything for both of your safety. Even though Tae Mu is in jail, he still hasn't gone to trial yet and he still has people working for him. You don't know who could be listening in." Ji-Hoo says.

"Okay. I have another question then. Why me? Why not Jae Kyung? She's tough and she's rich. She could probably help you easier than I can. Plus she is your fiancé." I pointedly ask Woo Bin.

"Maybe but she can't be as discreet as you. You're more elegant than she is, your English is way better, and you have a talent for talking to people. Plus you have more street smarts than her which is what we need. " He says.

I look at the two of them and my head is buzzing with all the information they've given me. First I find out they are not dead, then they ask me to help them with their investigation, and then I find out that my best friend is engaged… I want to help them but I hesitate and not for the reasons they may think. I swore off this kind of life 7 years ago. They don't know about my past and I don't want them to. I've put it behind me for a reason. I never want to go back to it. Plus the thought of spending months in close proximity to Woo Bin makes me uneasy. If I help them though, the faster Ji-Hoo can get back to Saia and I very much want to see my friend happy. I will just have to guard my heart very closely and try to keep as much distance from Woo Bin as I can.

"…Okay. I'll help you." I say with a nod.

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

I breathe a sigh of relief. I didn't realize how nervous I was about her answer till she agreed. I can't believe she is actually here. When I first saw her come in, I thought my heart would stop. It seems almost unreal. These past five months have been hard on Ji-Hoo and I. Not because of the work but because we have had to be away from the people that are important to us.

Boo Ki has become a big part of my life and I didn't realize just how much till after we left. She is a good friend and I've really missed her. She infuriates the hell out of me, challenges me, pushes me, and accepts me for who I am. She doesn't judge me. No woman has ever treated me the way she does and I trust her as much as I trust Yi Jung, my closest friend.

Ji-Hoo and I have become really close because of this situation. We are closer than we have ever been and thanks to Saia he has become much more open to people. He is still very private though and I will always be the closest with Yi Jung. We have been through a lot together. More than Ji-Hoo or Jun Pyo will ever know. I am happy to be closer to Ji-Hoo though. We have always had a quiet understanding between us and I am glad that he is helping me with this. I know he is putting his life on hold and it means a lot to me. I'll find a way to repay him someday.

He has always been someone I could count on when I didn't want to go to Yi Jung. He was the one I went to first when I wanted to know more about pleasing women in bed when we were teenagers. I wasn't fooled by Ji-Hoo's cool exterior. It's always the quiet ones that have the hottest sex lives and I was right. Even though he wasn't a player like Yi-Jung and I were, he is still a man. I knew that him and Seo Hyun were sleeping together long before anyone else knew. I caught them once when I showed up unannounced at his house. Her cries of pleasure were no joke. If Yi Jung ever found out I went to Ji-Hoo for sex tips he would probably choke. Yi Jung believes that Ji-Hoo is too cold for such things.

I am sad though that I can't be home for Yi Jung and Ga Eul's first child. It makes this whole ordeal that much more frustrating. I intend to keep an eye on our wager though. Unknown to either Jun Pyo or Ji-Hoo, Yi Jung and I made a wager on who would get their girl pregnant next. I said Ji-Hoo and Yi Jung confidently took Jun Pyo. He doesn't realize how passionate Ji-Hoo and Saia are. I highly doubt the constantly quarreling Jun Pyo and Jan Di's "make up" sex is anywhere near Ji-Hoo and Saia's level. As for me, my relationship with Jae Kyung isn't what anyone thinks.

Watching Boo Ki talk to Ji-Hoo I wonder if we are doing the right thing. I know that I am the one that insisted we use her and I know that she can handle herself in a fight but this situation is still very dangerous. I don't want anything to happen to her.

"Okay since we are in New York, I am assuming one of the Associates is here?" Boo Ki says.

"Yes. His name is Bill White. He is a Senator in the US Senate. We need you to get close to his wife. She may be able to tell you what he is up to once you gain her trust. She loves to travel and has been to South Korea many times so she will take an interest in you. She doesn't trust men so Ji-Hoo and I won't have much success in talking to her." I tell her.

"Okay, so how am I going to meet her?" she asks.

"She will be attending a charity auction tomorrow night. I already got you a dress and everything thanks to Saia."

"Am I going by myself?"

"Ani. I'll be going with you but once we get there, you will be on your own for the most part. I will have to keep a close eye on the Senator. I'll be watching to see who he talks to and hopefully listen in on his conversations." Ji-Hoo says.

"What about you?" She asks me.

"I'll be checking out the Senator's estate while they are away. Hopefully I can find a way in and find something damaging."

Boo Ki nods and rubs her eyes. "Okay. Well if we are going to do this, you guys need to leave and let me get some rest. I'm tired, I have jet lag, and I need to absorb all of this."

"Of course." Ji-Hoo nods and gives her a small smile before he turns to leave. Walking over to her I hand her a cell phone.

"If you need anything just call us. Our numbers are already in there. Get some rest." I smile at her. "And… I'm really glad you are here Boo Ki-ssi. I've missed you."

**A/N: I want to say thank you to everyone who is reading this story. ^^ I hope I didn't overwhelm this chapter with too much information. See you next chapter! ^^**


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

Entering the hall where the auction is being held, I stay close to Ji-Hoo as we wait for the Senator and his wife to arrive. I'm not used to having long hair but the wig was necessary to help alter my appearance. We don't know for sure that the Senator won't recognize me if he sees me. It's a nice change I guess. My black dress is long and shows off what few curves my tall, thin frame has.

"How long is this auction going to take?" I ask Ji-Hoo.

"They usually take a couple of hours. Hopefully that will give you time to talk to the Senator's wife."

The Senator and his wife finally arrive but it's the people that are following him that have my attention. _Oh my god…_ Ji-Hoo is paying too much attention to the Senator and I lean in close to whisper in his ear.

"We have a problem."

"What?"

"Jun Pyo is here." I say. He enters with a couple of his bodyguards close by and probably only at the Song family's insistence. Jun Pyo doesn't like having security but he doesn't know that Senator White is one of the Associates.

"Damn…"Ji-Hoo says under his breath. It's hard to see them clearly through the crowd but it looks as if someone is with him. It's only when I see the bits of gold in her brown hair that I realize who it is.

"What is she doing here?" I ask Ji-Hoo.

His eyes are already glued on Saia and I have to admit that she does look beautiful tonight. We keep to the edge of the crowd and away from Jun Pyo but I notice something about my best friend. She carefully looks around until her eyes lock with mine. She gives me a subtle nod of her head and it confirms my suspicions. She is putting some of the skills I taught her over the years to use.

"I'm going to have to leave. He will recognize me the moment he sees me." Ji-Hoo says. "You're going to be completely on your own."

"I don't think that will be necessary."

"Why?"

"Saia's here to keep Jun Pyo from discovering us."

"Her being here is making it harder. The Senator knows who she is." He argues.

"Yes. He does. So he will be watching her and Jun Pyo. Not us."

"…"

"She will be safe with Jun Pyo and DK is right there with her too. She's giving us a chance to still do this. Let's not let it go to waste." I say to him. He nods at me but his eyes are still only on her. It's obviously bothering him that she's here. _We don't have time for this!_

"Go on." I say and nudge him towards the Senator. He reluctantly peels his eyes away from her and makes his way towards him. I turn towards the other side of the room where the Senator's wife is and straighten my dress. Making my way towards her, I can see that she is still fairly young. She is probably in her early 40's. She is well known for her work with several different humanitarian organizations. I didn't have much time to read up on her so I am going to have to observe her carefully before I speak.

"Mrs. White? Hello. My name is Hong Se Na. I wanted to say that I am such a huge fan of yours." I say to her in English. She looks at me and smiles.

"Hong Se Na? So you are Korean then!"

"Yes I am Mrs. White."

"Welcome! Please call me Karen!" she is kind and friendly. She knows a great deal about South Korea and asks me a lot of questions. Where do I live? What is my favorite food? And so on. Things I am already prepared to answer. She keeps me close to her throughout the auction and Saia does a great job of keeping Jun Pyo at the other end of the room.

Karen talks about the different charities she is involved in and I have to say that I am impressed. She doesn't talk about them to brag. It's obvious that she genuinely cares about their causes. I observe her quietly throughout the night and I notice that she keeps her distance from her husband. Not only that but she plays with her wedding ring as if she is unused to wearing it. _Their relationship is obviously on the rocks…_

The moment I saw the Senator I didn't like him. Not just because I know what he has done. I have always considered myself a good judge of character and I can tell he is a slime ball. He is arrogant and hot tempered. He flirts with every woman in the room even though his wife is here. It's rude and disgusting. I keep my distance from him simply because I don't want him even looking at me. He makes my skin crawl.

"Se Na! I am putting together a charity picnic this Saturday. I would love it if you could come. Maybe you could even help me with some of the preparations?" Karen says to me as she turns to leave.

"I would love that!" I smile at her.

"Great! Give me your phone number and I will call you with the details." I hand her my number and she beams at me. "I am so happy we met tonight. You have been a breath of fresh air for me."

**(^_^)**

**JI-HOO'S POV:**

Boo Ki was right. Saia has been keeping Jun Pyo and the Senator away from us all night. I don't like how the Senator looks at her though. He's a douche bag and it pisses me off to watch Saia have to smile at him. I can tell from her body language that he makes her uncomfortable. She keeps close to Jun Pyo and DK stays by her side.

Before the Senator leaves, I see him lean in close to her and put his hand on the small of her back. Whatever he says to her makes her pale and shake her head. She smiles at him but follows Jun Pyo towards another business associate. It takes everything I have to not go break off the Senator's arm. Catching DK's eye, I motion him over to me. He moves next to a pillar but stays within eye shot of Saia and I step up beside him.

"What the hell is she doing here?" I quietly ask him.

"Keeping an eye on your friend and also being a distraction so that you can do what you came here to do."

"Why? If you had told us we would have waited."

"That's exactly why she told me not to tell you. She said that you can't wait any longer… She's right."

"I don't like him being so close to her…"

"Neither do I but Jun Pyo and I won't let anything happen to her. He doesn't like or trust the Senator."

"…Give me Saia's spare room key."

DK glances at me and reluctantly hands me her key from his pocket. _I don't trust the Senator either. Not one bit…_

**(^_^)**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

My night at the Senator's house is a bust. His house has some of the best security I've seen in a long time. It's almost comparable to my own. Going through his office in Washington D.C. will be my next step but I don't have time to go there tonight. After cleaning myself up, I make my way to the auction to play chauffer for Ji-Hoo and Boo Ki. _She looks beautiful tonight._

Ji-Hoo and Boo Ki tell me what happened as we make our way to my apartment here in New York. I moved all of Boo Ki's things to the apartment earlier today and arranged for a decoy to take her place at the hotel.

"I need you to drop me off at the hotel." Ji-Hoo says.

"Why? Boo Ki's things have already been moved to the apartment… Ji-Hoo, don't you think it's too risky to go see her? If you run into Jun Pyo, he will recognize you and I'm sure the Senator has people watching him too."

"I don't trust Senator White." He says through his clenched teeth.

"Neither do I but she has DK and Jun Pyo has security too… Fine." I say in exasperation. I can see the determination in his face.

After dropping him off, Boo Ki and I are alone and for some reason I'm suddenly at a loss for words. It's been so long since we had a regular conversation that I am drawing a blank on what to say.

"…So… How have things been at home?" I finally ask.

"…I don't know. You will have to ask your family that. I haven't seen anyone except Saia since the funerals."

"I meant you. How have you been?"

"Good. Business is going really well at the restaurant. It keeps me busy."

"That doesn't tell me how you are. There has to be more to your life than just work." I watch her out of the corner of my eye and feel frustrated. She always keeps me at arm's length. From the moment I first held her in my arms at the hospital, something clicked inside of me. Ever since then I have wanted to be closer to her but she won't let me. My charms can sweep any woman off their feet… except her. She see's right through me. It made me uncomfortable at first but now I find it oddly calming. I can just be me. She is one of the best friends I have ever had and I want to be that for her too but why won't she let me?

"Do you think Karen will invite you to their estate?" I finally ask as we enter my apartment.

"It's possible. She's a very nice woman. It stinks that she ended up with that asshole for a husband."

"Yes it does." I put my hand on her arm to stop her from going into her room and she turns around to look at me with her usual calm demeanor. "You look beautiful tonight Boo Ki."

"Thanks." She says uncomfortably and nods her head.

"Can't we go back to being friends? I know that lying to everyone is cruel but we did it to protect you."

"I don't need to be protected Woo Bin." She says quietly. "Even though you pissed me off, I will always be your friend and always be here if you need me. But you also need to understand that Jae Kyung should have been the one here in my place. Not because I can pull this off better than her but because she is your fiancé. You should be asking for her help, not mine."

"Boo Ki, Jae Kyung and I-"

"Are none of my business." She cuts me off with a small laugh. "Talk to Ji-Hoo about your relationship. You can talk to me about everything else. I don't do relationships and stuff like that."

"Really? Don't you want to be with someone like Ji-Hoo and Saia?"

"Honestly no one can be like those two. What they have is very rare. The real world isn't like that and I accept it. Plus I don't need a man to complete me. It's nice not having to answer to anyone and being able to do what I want."

"Being in the right relationship doesn't mean that has to end. My friend's relationships have taught me that." I say quietly. She gives me a smirk and shakes her head.

"Sure. Your buddies may say that but you guys are the most overprotective bunch I have ever met. I doubt those girls have as much freedom as you claim." She turns away to go to her room and for once I have seen into her carefully constructed mask.

"…Who was he? Who broke you so badly that you don't trust anyone?" I ask. She freezes in her tracks but doesn't look at me.

"…My grandfather…and every other man in my life since then. Don't try to understand me Woo Bin-ssi. You will only be disappointed."

**(^_^)**

**SAIA'S POV:**

I can't wait to get inside my room and take a shower. My skin is still crawling from Senator White's touch. _Geez he is such a scumbag… _I cringe and DK squeezes my shoulder in comfort. We already said good night to Jun Pyo and are on our way to our rooms.

"That guy has a lot of nerve flirting with other girls in front of his wife. What a slimy bastard." DK says in disgust.

"Agreed. I am probably going to have to scrub my skin raw to get his germs off of me." I unlock my door and he waits for me to close the door before he leaves. I'm not surprised that the lights are on in my room nor am I surprised that Ji-Hoo is sitting waiting for me.

"That was fast. Woo Bin must know this city pretty well." I say.

"Why did you come?"

"Hello Ji-Hoo. Nice to see you too." I say sarcastically. _You could at least say 'Hi' first before jumping down my throat. _"Isn't it obvious? I came to keep Jun Pyo from finding you out. Don't worry. We are leaving first thing in the morning so we won't be in your way."

"What did the Senator say to you?"

"He asked me out for drinks. I refused of course. I told him I'm tired and have an early flight tomorrow. You shouldn't be here. If they see you-"

"I don't care about that shit!" He hisses. "I hate that he touched you! He has no right!"

"Ji-Hoo… You can't seriously be jealous of that guy." I say as I move to stand in front of him.

"Ani, I'm not jealous. I'm just really angry that the person I love the most in this world was touched by that piece of shit and I didn't stop him." He stands up, slides his arms around my waist, and leans his forehead against mine. He only cusses when he is really upset and he is so angry that he's shaking. I loop my arms around his neck and feel him take a deep, steadying breath.

"Ji-Hoo-ah… The Senator is a slime ball and I don't like him touching me anymore than you do but he didn't do anything to me. If he tried anything, I would have kicked his ass. I don't care if he's a Senator or not."

"…There is something seriously not right with that guy. I don't want you anywhere near him."

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning, remember? I won't see him again. You should go. I don't want Jun Pyo or any of his bodyguards seeing you."

"Ani. I'm staying."

"Ji-Hoo…"

"Go shower and get some sleep. I'll stay up and watch over you." He kisses me on the forehead and turns away to take his tuxedo jacket off. I watch him in concern. He is seriously rattled and not just because the Senator touched me. It's more than that. Ji-Hoo has amazing instincts. The fact that he is uneasy scares me.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I don't know. I just don't trust him." he says as he looks at me. "I'll feel better when you are on that plane and as far away from him as possible."

**(^_^)**

**BILL'S POV:**

The woman beneath me is boring. Her mouth is taped shut thank god. This one likes to scream a lot and even though it is usually a turn on, I'm not in the mood for it. In fact nothing about her is turning me on tonight. I should have insisted on taking Saia out for a drink with me. I could have killed two birds with one stone, made Su-Jeong's daughter disappear and added her to my collection.

I get up and move to the next girl but I have no interest in her either. Looking around at the five women tied to their beds, I realize that I am not happy. They are not satisfying me. They are not the one that I want. I can't get my limp dick up thanks to these lack-luster bitches.

"Do you know why I picked you girls? I picked you because I wanted you! A Senator wanted to make you a part of his collection! Yet none of you are satisfying me tonight! WHY? You should feel honored that I pay attention to you! You should want to do everything you can to make me happy because if I am happy then you are rewarded! Or did you forget that?" Three of the girls cry and shake their heads. The other two just lay there with a dead look in their eyes. It's almost time to replace those two.

Angry and dissatisfied, I stomp out and lock the door tightly behind me. They will stay strapped to their beds tonight as punishment.

Yanking out my cell phone, I call my assistant. "Where is Saia Caelum staying?"

"She's at the new ShinHwa hotel sir. She's being carefully watched by her bodyguard. You won't be able to see-" Hanging up on him I get in my car and drive there. _She will see me. No woman refuses me._

I flash a smile at the girl at the front desk as she politely greets me. "Can you please call Miss Saia Caelum and tell her that Senator White is here to speak with her."

"Yes sir." She calls the room and then turns to me. "I'm sorry sir but she is unavailable at the moment."

"…Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry sir. Maybe it's the late hour but-"

"May I ask what room number she is staying in?" I ask trying to keep patient.

"I'm sorry sir but Mr. Gu has instructed us to not give out that information to anyone."

"Then could you please call again and let me speak to her?"

"Yes sir." She dials the number and hands me the phone. As soon as it picks up, I smile.

"Miss Caleum, I know it's late but since you are leaving tomorrow it would be a shame to miss out on that drink and your lovely company for an hour or two. It'll be my treat. What do you say?" To my surprise, there's a long pause before a deep, calm male voice responds.

"…She isn't going anywhere with you, you sick son-of-a-bitch. Stay away from her." The line goes dead and I stare at the phone in irritation.

_That fucking blows… My plans for tonight are ruined._

**A/N: I know that Boo Ki and Woo Bin weren't in this chapter too much but there's a reason for that. They will be from now on. ^_^**


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

Waking up to the sound of my cell phone going off, I blindly reach for it on the nightstand. My eyes refuse to open and I finally feel it in my hand. _Who the hell could be calling this early?_

"…Yobosayeo?" I groan into the phone.

"Se Na? Did I wake you?"

"Karen! Hi! How are you?" I say in English as I quickly sit up and try to get my fuzzy brain to work. I hear her laugh and I smile sheepishly at her even though she can't see me.

"I'm sorry to wake you. I was wondering if you would like to come over today and help with the decorations for the picnic."

"Yes of course! I'd be happy to!"

"Wonderful! I'll text you the directions and I'll see you soon."

I hang up and rub my eyes. I need to tell Woo Bin and Ji-Hoo. Sliding out of bed, I walk into the kitchen and see Ji-Hoo sitting at the counter reading a newspaper.

"You're up early." He says without looking at me and takes a sip of his tea.

"Karen wants me to help with the decorations for the picnic. Is Woo Bin still asleep?" I ask. He nods his head and continues to read. "…Saia told me before she left what happened at the hotel. She doesn't scare very easily but when she saw how rattled you were, it made her uneasy. What do you think is the Senator's deal?"

He sets his paper down and takes a deep breath. "I'm not sure but he makes me more uneasy than Saia's father did. You need to be careful around him."

"Don't worry. I didn't like him from the moment I laid eyes on him. I plan on staying away from him if I can." I pour myself a cup of coffee and hear a loud yawn behind me.

Hiding my smile behind my cup, I watch Woo Bin as he shuffles into the kitchen. His T-shirt and pajama pants are rumpled, his eyes are still closed, and what little bit of hair he has is sticking out in every direction. If it wasn't for the stubble on his face, he would look like a cute little boy. Plopping down in a chair, he lays his head flat on the counter and rubs the side of his face with his hand as he tries to wake up.

"I thought I was bad when it comes to mornings but you are pathetic Woo Bin-ssi." I say. Ji-Hoo chuckles and shakes his head. At the sound of his name, Woo Bin turns his head and looks at me in confusion, his eyes squinting against the light.

"…Huh?" his scratchy voice says.

"I said you need to shave! Do you want coffee?" I ask as I try hard not to laugh. He nods his head and holds his hands out like a kid waiting for candy. Handing him a cup, he takes a sip and leans his elbows heavily against the counter.

"Where does Karen want you to meet her?" Ji-Hoo asks me.

"At her house. I don't know if I will get a chance to snoop around but I will try."

Woo Bin perks up at our conversation and looks at the two of us curiously. "What? You're going to her house today?"

"Yes she called me this morning."

"What about the Senator? Even though his wife will be there, he's still a slimy bastard." He says with a frown.

"He's still in D.C. the last I heard." Ji-Hoo says. "She should be safe."

Woo Bin nods thoughtfully and takes another sip of his coffee. Grabbing a piece of Ji-Hoo's paper, I start to read but after several minutes, I realize I'm being watched. I'm well aware that my shorts and tank top are tight but I can't sleep in baggy clothes. Plus my long legs get easily tangled in pants. Looking up, I catch Woo Bin's appreciative look at my legs and when his eyes meet mine, he gives me a mischievous smirk. _He's not even ashamed of being caught! Babo… _

Raising an eyebrow, I fight the blush threatening to rise to my cheeks. I have no reason to be embarrassed and I don't want to show him any weakness so I keep my eyes locked with his. Clearing his throat, he takes another sip of coffee and finally turns his head to look out the window. _Geez… Arrogant bastard… _

**(^_^)**

"I am so glad you are here! One of the ladies on the decorating team got sick and we need all the help we can get!" Karen says with a smile as she leads me inside. I meet the other women and we work quickly. I listen quietly to their chatter, only speaking when spoken to. Many of the things they talk about I am unfamiliar with because many of these women have politicians for husbands or are involved in the US government themselves. Even though I had studied governments a lot when I was a kid, there is still much that I don't know.

After a while, I quietly ask Karen where the restroom is and she gives me directions. Their house is huge and it would be easy for someone to get lost. I finally find it but as I make my way back, I look up to see the Senator in front of me. He looks at me in surprise before his sleazy eyes rake my body. He gives me a smile and holds out his hand.

"Well hello there. Who might you be?"

"I'm Hong Sa Ne Senator. It's nice to meet you." I reluctantly shake his hand and move to go around him but he stops me.

"You are here to help my wife with the picnic I'm assuming?"

He's too close to me and it's making me nervous. I know I can take him down easily if I need to but it would ruin everything. "Yes sir. I am. I need to get back to Karen and the others."

"What's the rush? They have plenty of help already."

"Bill, that's quite enough. Leave the poor girl alone so that she can get back to work." Karen says as she approaches us. She takes my arm and guides me away from him. "I'm very sorry about that. He wasn't supposed to be home till tomorrow. Stay close to me, okay?"

I nod at her and watch her closely throughout the afternoon. She isn't oblivious to her husband's playboy ways and he makes her uncomfortable too. Once the other women are gone and we are alone, I finally decide to take a chance.

"Why do you stay with him?" I ask quietly. "You are a smart and talented woman. You don't need him."

She looks at me uncertainly and to my surprise she responds to me in Korean. "It isn't that simple. Do you know what it's like to be married to a politician? Everything is about appearances. I have been the trophy wife he needs to make himself look good but I don't have the schooling to do anything on my own without him."

"You can go back to school. You can do so much more with your life. Or for that matter, all of your charity work and your name alone could get you a job with UNICEF." I respond also in Korean. I'm assuming she is afraid her husband is listening in on us. We walk outside as Woo Bin finally arrives to pick me up and I can see him waiting in the car for me.

"Listen to me. I like you a lot my dear. I knew from the moment we met that I can trust you but don't come back to this house ever. Even if my husband says it's for me. Let's meet elsewhere from now on. Okay? I'll see you Saturday."

"Okay. I'll see you then." I hug her and then get in the car but I'm uneasy. I don't like leaving her alone with him. I know that she will probably be fine but I still don't like it. We drive for several minutes before Woo Bin finally speaks.

"Is everything okay?"

"No Woo Bin. Something is definitely very wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"There is something more going on with Senator White than just his involvement with the Associates."

"Do you think you can find out what it is?" He asks.

"Maybe. Karen trusts me and she has suspicions about her husband at the very least. I don't think she knows everything. I like her Woo Bin. I want to help her."

"We will."

"How is it that Senator White isn't more nervous? Hasn't he realized that his comrades are being taken down one by one?"

"He knows it but we are making it look like Tae Mu is ratting them all out. They don't realize that we are the ones doing it. They are all trying to cover their tracks but we will still bring them down."

"Nice." I say with a smile.

**(^_^)**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

American clubs are louder and rougher than what I am used to… But I like it. I drink my beer while I wait for my contact to arrive and look around at the girls on the dance for. Their clothes reveal a lot more than what I'm used to as well but it's actually a turn off for me. Some things are better left to the imagination till later in the night. The anticipation is the fun part. I look over them, trying to find one that catches my attention. I won't do anything of course but a little flirting won't hurt. I can't seem to find any I like though. _Too short, too tall, too busty, not busty enough… None of these girls compare to the great set of legs with the brains to match that I was admiring this morning… _

"Hey! Choi Young! How are you?" A voice says.

I turn towards my contact and shake his hand. My alias is becoming as familiar to me as my real name these days. "Hey Marcus! What's up?"

"Not much man! Just livin' the life, ya know?"

"What's the word on the street about our 'friend'?" I ask.

"Rumor is that he takes home ladies now and then but they disappear. No one hears from them or sees them once he gets his hands on them."

"And the police haven't caught on to it yet?"

"Ah you know how it goes man. All those rich bastards have to do is toss some money to the right people and everything is hushed up. Then they wonder why people don't trust 'em. Shit…" He says and shakes his head.

"What kind of girls are we talking about? Is there anyone that might cause some noise with the media?"

"Nah. He has taste, I'll give him that. They are all gorgeous. He's picky. Most of them have little to no family. No one really notices they are gone."

"Do you have any details on them?" I ask. He palms me a flash drive and I stuff it in my pocket.

"This dude is bad news man. I don't know what you are planning but be careful. He's mixed up with some pretty dirty people."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

"One last thing you should know. One of my buddies just got back from Italy and that Angiolo Botticelli you were asking about? He is up to something. Have you ever heard of a family of assassins called the Maengs?"

My blood runs cold at the name and I have to fight to not drop the bottle I'm holding. Keeping my cool, I slowly nod my head. "I think I've heard of them. Why?"

"That Botticelli guy has hired them as protection from what I hear. You might want to be careful."

"Thanks for the tip and the help. I'll see you around." I say. He nods at me and we head in opposite directions. _The Maengs? Why the hell would they suddenly agree to be bodyguards? _I don't like it one bit. If they are involved then we are in a lot of trouble. The Maengs are known for their cold, ruthless nature. Not even my family dares to cross them. They are cunning, deadly, and very little is actually known about them. Only the darkest, dirtiest people know about them. They are assassins for higher for the right price and even then they don't always agree to do a job unless it benefits them in some way. They don't care who the target is and they kill anybody in their way, even children. I need to stay focused though. We still need to deal with "Senator Sleaze" first.

When I get back to the apartment, Ji-Hoo and Boo Ki are still awake. "What are you two still doing up?"

"I'm going through more files from Tae Mu's hard drive." Ji-Hoo says without looking up from his laptop.

"I'm looking into Karen's background." Boo Ki says from my desk. I lean over her shoulder to look at the computer screen.

"Anything interesting?" I ask.

"Nothing she hasn't already told me."

I nod but continue to read the screen. She just got out of the shower and smells like apples. "You smell good, very yummy."

She turns her head to give me a withering look but I blink innocently at her.

"What? I'm just telling you the truth." I laugh as she pushes me away from her.

"Go… beat up some bad guys or something!" She says irritably. I wink at her and she shakes her head in disgust before turning back to the screen in front of her. I love getting a reaction from her. It's fun. I walk up to Ji-Hoo and hand him the flash drive I got from Marcus.

"I got some information from my contact. It seems that any girl that hangs out with the Senator goes missing. Information on the girls should be on this. If we can get evidence that he is doing something to them, we can bring him down without his link to the Associates."

"I'll look over it in the morning." He says with a nod.

I head to my room and close the door. Pulling out my phone, I call my father and pray he picks up.

"Yobosayeo?"

"Dad, have you ever heard of the Maengs being hired as bodyguards?"

"No. Not that I recall. They only kill people, not protect them. Why?"

"I just heard a rumor that they have been hired to protect Botticelli."

"Really? I'll ask around and see what I can find out but you know how secretive they are. I may not be able to confirm it. I don't have to tell you how dangerous it will be going up against Botticelli if it's true. Be careful son."

I hang up the phone and go into the kitchen for some water. Leaning against the counter, I watch Boo Ki in the other room as she sits in front of the computer. Ji-Hoo stretches in his chair in front of me at the counter and closes his laptop.

"I don't think we should take Boo Ki with us if we go to Italy." I quietly say to Ji-Hoo.

"…Okay. Why is that?"

"It isn't safe. Honestly Ji-Hoo, we may have to reconsider going after Botticelli."

"Is that wise? Leaving even one of them loose could be dangerous for all of us."

"I know. But we may not have a choice."


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

**SAIA'S POV:**

As I walk into Ji-Hoo's office at the Foundation, I am surprised to see Jae Kyung waiting for me.

"Hello! I want to steal you away for the day!" She says to me.

"I don't know Jae Kyung-ah… I have a lot of preparations for the Masquerade Ball I need to go over. We only have two more weeks."

"It can wait! Come on!" she grabs my hand and drags me out the door with DK close behind me. I glare at him because he isn't stopping her but he won't look me in the eye. Once we are at her favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant and eating she orders Soju for us too.

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?" I ask.

"Ya! Lighten up! You sure have gotten uptight since Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin died. Do you really think they want you moping like this?"

_Eh, fuck it…Why not? _ DK gives me a disapproving look but I ignore him.

"Can't you go anywhere without him?" She asks with a nod towards DK. "Tae Mu is in jail! Why is he still following you?"

"True but the Songs feel like I still need protection until his trial is over. Besides, he's become a good friend too." I give DK a smile and he nods.

"At least I can go have fun once and awhile without my security. You're like a celebrity or something with him always following you around." She says in exasperation. I just smile and shake my head.

After a few drinks, she gives me a satisfied smile. "See! Now you seem more like the Saia we all miss."

"Oh really? So everyone put you up to this?"

"Not at all! I do what I want, you know that already! I know you loved Ji-Hoo but I'm your friend and I don't want to see you spend the rest of your life depressed. He wouldn't want that either."

"Yes, that's true. You seem to be handling Woo Bin's death okay. How do you do it?"

"Yeah well… Woo Bin and I… our relationship was nothing like yours. We actually broke our engagement a couple days before he died."

"…What?" I ask in shock.

"Don't get me wrong, Woo Bin was a great guy but… we were only engaged because we made a deal."

"What kind of a deal?"

"He wanted a wife that would be honest with him and not marry him just for his money. He wanted a relationship like his friends but he didn't think that anyone would ever love him. I am still in love with someone else and he knew that. I can never be with the person I want so Woo Bin and I struck up a deal that we would get married to each other. We had become good friends so why not? Being with a friend is better than being alone or being with someone you hate."

"So why did you break it off then?"

"He was falling for your friend. I wasn't stupid and it didn't bother me. I could see it but he never would admit it. He said I was being silly and asked me not to break off the engagement. Your friend is hard to figure out though. I don't know if she felt anything for him but they made a good team. I still miss Woo Bin. He was still my friend. I wanted to see him happy. It's not fair what happened to him and Ji-Hoo." She looks sadly at her glass and my heart is racing. _Boo Ki doesn't know any of this!_

After we finish eating, Jae Kyung drags me out of the restaurant to the mall where she takes me shopping. Wandering around the stores with her, I try to show interest but I can only think of one thing. As she goes into the dressing room in one of the name brand stores to try on some clothes, I grab DK's arm and whisper into his ear.

"I need you to get a hold of Ji-Hoo for me right now. Tell him I need to talk to him."

He looks at me in surprise but nods his head and digs out his phone. I watch Jae Kyung come out to show me her first outfit and nod my head in approval. We discuss what kind of shoes she should get with it before she goes back in to try on another outfit. I give DK a questioning look but he just shrugs. Pacing in front of her dressing room I turn to look at her next outfit and shake my head. I don't like it. She pouts a little before giving me a smile and goes back inside as I hear DK's phone go off. After answering it he hands it to me and I move out of ear shot of Jae Kyug.

"Yobosayeo?"

"Saia? Are you okay?" Ji-Hoo asks me.

"I'm fine but listen, did you know about Woo Bin breaking off his engagement before you two left?"

"…What? No I didn't. He hasn't said anything."

"Ji-Hoo… Boo Ki doesn't know either. He needs to tell her!"

"Saia, I can't get involved. That's between the two of them."

"I know that but she will only push him away more if she still thinks he's engaged."

I hear his deep sigh and wish I was hugging him so I could feel it. "…I'll try to talk to him but try not to call me unless it's important okay? It's not safe. I'll call you again soon so that we can talk longer."

"It is important! To me anyways…" I grumble. I hear his soft chuckle in my ear and I smile.

"God, I miss you. I have to go. I love you." He says.

"I love you too."

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

_I'm twelve again and my grandfather stands in front of me with my parents. I've been summoned in the middle of the night to see them. I don't know why I'm here. I haven't broken any rules and I am the top student in the dojo. I am even better than my brother and half-brother even though they are both older than me. _

_My grandfather orders me to remove all of my clothes and lay down face first in front of him. I obey of course. Nobody disobeys Grandfather. As I lay there, I hear the door open as someone comes in. A man kneels behind me and I feel something hard trying to penetrate me. I look up at my parents and grandfather in alarm but Mother simply gives me a blank look and says to not show any fear. Grandfather orders me to lie still and I try not to cry out in pain. Showing pain is a sign of weakness and it's dishonorable but it hurts so bad. When he's finished and withdraws from me, Grandfather orders me to get dressed and return to my room._

_For two weeks the same scenario plays out every night. By the last night, I am numb. I no longer feel anything. Grandfather says that sex is a tool that I will have to use to become an assassin and like all other tools, I need to train and sharpen my skills. The other women in the Dojo will train me on these skills from now on. I bow deeply to Grandfather in understanding but bury my shame and humiliation deep down inside just like all my other emotions. Saia knows something is wrong, she's been asking me every day at school but I am too embarrassed to tell her. When I finally do break down and tell her, I sob in her arms. She is so sweet and understanding. She holds me and rocks me the way my mother should have done. But just like all of my family, my mother is cold and unfeeling. There is no such thing as emotions in the lives of the Maeng family… and I finally realize that I don't want to be like them anymore._

Opening my eyes, I reach for my alarm and realize that I'm crying. I hate when my memories haunt my dreams. I wish there was a way to erase them completely. I don't want to remember. They are probably haunting me because I started quietly training again. I have always kept myself fit and prepared for any situation but I have started pushing myself again now that I'm here with Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin. I keep quiet so that I don't disturb them but I consider that part of my training too, to be as quiet as possible.

I think it's funny that Woo Bin feels shame at times for being the Mafia Prince. He has no idea how humiliated I feel that I'm an Assassin Princess to one of the cruelest families ever known. I don't think my skills will be necessary for Senator Park but I may need to use them later for one of the other Associates. I don't have any weapons with me but the martial arts training is enough for now.

After I shower I walk into the kitchen and see Ji-Hoo talking on the phone.

"God, I miss you. I have to go. I love you." I hear him say. He hangs up and I see a smile on his face. He is practically glowing. _He loves Saia very much. _

"You could have at least let me talk to her before hanging up. I know you like keeping her all to yourself but I am still her best friend." I tease. He chuckles and nods his head. I have been with them for a month already. We haven't been able to discover what the sleazy Senator is doing with the girls. They must be on his estate somewhere but it's been nearly impossible with his security. Karen warned me not to come back and she has done everything in her power to keep me away from him. I appreciate her concern but we need to get into the house and look around.

Hearing my phone go off, I run back to my room to grab it. "Hello?"

"Se Na! It's Senator White. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to join me for dinner at my estate tonight."

"Thank you Senator but I don't think your wife-"

"She approves of course. She will be here too. She is looking forward to seeing you again." He says. After her warning and her attempts to keep me away from him, I doubt she knows about his invitation or isn't as agreeing to it as he claims. But this is the chance we need.

"Okay then. What time should I be there?"

"7 and don't worry about getting home. We will make sure you are taken care of."

_I bet you will._ I think in disgust. "Thank you Senator."

Hanging up the phone, I go back into the kitchen where Ji-Hoo is.

"The Senator invited me to his house. I need to be there at 7."

"…You're going? Is that wise?"

"I can take care of myself. If he tries anything he will regret it. He is awkward and bulky. He doesn't have any martial arts training or anything like that."

"That doesn't mean he isn't still dangerous."

"Who?" Woo Bin asks as he comes in through the front door.

"Where did you go?" I ask him. I keep my face carefully blank but I feel a twinge of jealousy.

"I've been watching the Senator's estate all night. I was hoping to see some kind of activity but there was nothing." He says with a sigh. I hide my smile of relief behind my coffee cup. I really need to keep better control of my emotions. I've been getting too soft lately.

"Well I'm going in tonight. I'll let you know if I see anything. The Senator invited me to dinner."

"What? I'm going with you. I can pretend to be your boyfriend. You can't go in there with that bastard all alone."

"I have to. He didn't say I could bring anyone with me and if you show up uninvited he won't be at ease. If he thinks he has the upper hand, he is more likely to make a mistake."

"Ani Boo Ki! You can't go in there by yourself. I can't let you. It's too dangerous."

"We have been at this for over a month already. We need to bag this guy and move on. I can take care of myself and if it makes you feel better, wait outside the gate or something."

After arguing with Woo Bin, Ji-Hoo and I finally convince him that we have to do this. I am glad Ji-Hoo agrees with me. I know that his opinion is important to Woo Bin. I suspect that Ji-Hoo's call with Saia may have played a big part in it. I know he is anxious to get back to her. He hides his emotions very well but sometimes his mask cracks and I can see how much he hates being away from her.

**(^_^)**

Arriving at the Senator's estate tonight, I can see that I was right about Karen. She isn't happy to see me but the Senator doesn't give her a chance to speak to me alone. He keeps me close and every time he touches me, I feel my skin crawl. As we sit down, he offers me a drink. I want to refuse but seeing Karen drinking the same wine, I reluctantly agree.

He talk's a lot throughout dinner about himself, trying to impress me with his position. I keep silent, only responding when he asks me a question. It's only when I see Karen doze off at the table and try to reach for her that I realize where I made my mistake. He drugged both of us with the wine. I stumble out of my chair and glare angrily at him.

"Going somewhere? What's the rush?" He says with a wicked smile. I reach for my phone and dial Woo Bin's number but he snatches it out of my hand. I'm too drugged to stop him and angrily try to take a swing at him but my movements are sluggish and he easily avoids me.

"Easy now. That won't be necessary." He says with a smile as he grabs my wrists. _I can't believe I fell for something like this! I've gotten way too soft._

"Fuck you…" I slur at him. He laughs and it sends a shiver of fear down my spine. I'm helpless and I sink into unconsciousness.

**A/N: firehorse549- I must confess that I have wanted this kind of story too. Great minds think alike. ^_~ This story should be a lot of fun!**

**To all my readers: Thank you for reading! ^_^**


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

I don't like this one bit… Sure, I know Boo Ki can handle herself in a fight but this filth that she is dealing with is a slippery bastard. It pisses me off that he has taken an interest in her. I understand now what Ji-Hoo was feeling when the Senator took an interest in Saia. I'm worried and uneasy. We haven't been able to find any trace of the girls that disappeared with him. They must be somewhere on the estate but his security is tight. Ji-Hoo went to check out a storage space the Senator is renting to look for anything suspicious tonight. I sure do hope he finds something. Bill White needs to be behind bars.

I wait outside his gate for now. If anything happens, I'll climb over it to get to Boo Ki. There is no way in hell I am giving him a chance to hurt her. I don't care what kind of alarms I set off. Her safety is more important than getting caught. I watch the camera that's focused on the gate and plan my attack if the need arises. I'm staying out of its line of sight for now. The gun that I hate to carry is tucked safely in my leather jacket with the silencer already attached. It may finally get some use on that damn camera.

My phone starts to ring and I reach in my pocket for it but it stops before I can answer it. It's Boo Ki. I dial her back but it just rings. There is no answer. _Shit!_

Pulling out my gun, I take out the camera and climb over the gate. Sprinting for the house, I don't bother to look for dogs or security. I don't have time. Reaching the front door, I don't even bother to knock and thankfully the door is unlocked.

"Se Na!" I call out as I run from one room to the next. It feels weird calling her by her alias but just in case I've made a mistake, I use it instead of her real name. Reaching the dining room, I see Karen passed out at the table and I check her pulse. She's still alive but unconscious. I shake her shoulder with my hand but she doesn't respond. Spotting Boo Ki's phone on the table, rage starts to set in. _That mother fucker took her!_

Pocketing her phone, I search the house as quickly as I can. He couldn't have gone far but I don't have time to waste. Returning to Karen, I sit her up in her chair and shake her.

"Hey! Karen! Wake up! Come on! I need you to wake up!" I shout in English. She moans and her heavy eyes slowly open to look at me.

"Who are you?" she quietly asks.

"Where did he take her? Where is she?"

"What? Se Na? She isn't here?" she asks groggily. She blinks up at me and tries to focus.

"No. Where did he take her?"

"I-I don't know."

I turn away from her in frustration and grit my teeth. Of course she wouldn't know. She's too good of a person to be involved in this.

"Is there anywhere in this house that you don't have access to? Somewhere that's his personal space or something like that?" I ask. She scrunches her face in thought and I can tell whatever he drugged her with is making it hard for her to think.

"Well… He keeps the sub-basement locked and I don't have a key but I hate the basement period. I never go down there."

"Where?"

"Down the hall, second door on your right."

Racing down the hallway, I find the door and run down the stairs to the basement. When I reach the bottom, I have to force myself to calm down and push the fear away. I can't afford to let my worry for Boo Ki get in the way. Steeling myself, I focus on the task at hand and pull the gun from my jacket pocket. Moving quickly and quietly through the basement, I search for the door that leads to the sub basement. There is no noise except for those coming from the house itself.

Moving past a stack of boxes and several pieces of unused furniture, I finally see the door and cautiously make my way towards it with my gun drawn. The door's padlock is undone and hanging open beside the door. I open it to see the stairs that lead to the sub-basement and hear a faint shuffling sound coming from the bottom. Slowly making my way down the stairs, I try to be as quiet as possible. I need to try and catch him off-guard.

Reaching the bottom, I slowly survey the room. Several tall empty wine racks are scattered around, blocking my view but I can still see through them to the end of the room. There against the wall, 5 women lay strapped to beds but I don't see Bill anywhere. Cautiously making my way towards the girls I keep my gun drawn and strain my ears for any sound of the Senator. Boo Ki is strapped to one of the beds and she's gagged. He has already taken her clothes off and she is now only clothed in her bra and underwear. Even the long wig she has been wearing is gone. Three of the women see me and are desperately straining against their bonds, begging for me to free them. The other one has a dead look in her face and her eyes are unfocused. She doesn't seem conscious of anything that is going on around her.

Boo Ki isn't looking at me but she is watching someone out of my line of site and it must be him. I have never seen fear on her face till now. She desperately pulls on her bonds, trying to break free and the Senator finally comes into view. I can tell that the drugs are still having an effect on her as she tries to break free. Her movements are sluggish, nowhere near the speed and strength that I know she's capable of. He approaches the bed and climbs onto it completely naked. The lighting is bad and I don't want to risk shooting her, otherwise I would just shoot the son-of-a-bitch at this very moment. I have to force down the rage that threatens to take over as I see him touch her.

"Get the fuck off of her and back away right now." I say in English and his head slowly turns to look at me. The look on this slimy bastards face chills me. He doesn't even seem to be human.

"Why?" He says. "Do you want a taste of her too? How about I let her free first?"

I watch him suspiciously as he unfastens her leather straps and I keep my gun on him. He suddenly jerks her up in front of him and uses her as a shield.

"Sorry but this one is all mine. I get the first taste. I found her first." He says with an evil grin. He holds a knife to her throat and my heart jumps in fear. He's crazy enough to kill her without a second thought. He would rather see her dead than let her go. He runs the blade along the surface of her skin to her shoulder and suddenly slices her skin. Bo Ki flinches but doesn't cry out and I watch angrily as he licks her wound to taste her blood. "She mostly has a sharp taste but there is on odd sweetness mixed in as well. She is a delicious addition to my collection. I can't wait to fuck her."

"I'm going to kill you for touching her." I growl at him. Boo Ki's cloudy eyes are starting to clear and I can see the drug is wearing off. Her eyes are becoming cold with anger. Suddenly grabbing his hand with the knife, she twists it away from her and he howls in pain. He grabs her throat and she struggles against him. The gun is useless with her so close and charging towards the Senator I tackle him as he slams her against the wall. He lets her go to try and defend himself from me but now that I finally have my hands on him, he doesn't stand a chance.

Ripping the knife out of his hand, I slide the blade between his ribs and into his lung. Twisting the blade, I enlarge the wound and he cries out in agony. "I told you I would kill you but I never said I would make it quick you sick fuck."

Letting him drop to floor with the knife still embedded in him I look at the blood on my glove in disgust. I wipe it off with the sheets from the bed Boo Ki was on before I go to her. She sits slumped against the wall and her eyes are wide in shock but still cloudy from the drugs. The Senator coughs and blood is starting to come out of his mouth but I ignore him. Wrapping my jacket around Boo Ki to cover her up, she looks up at me and I cup her cheek with my hand. I look up when I hear footsteps and see Karen coming towards us. The blood drains from her face as she sees the girls strapped to the beds.

"W-what is this? What is going on?" she whispers and she raises her hands to her mouth in horror.

"Karen…" Senator White pleads in pain. She turns to look at him but she doesn't go to him like he expects. She looks at him in disbelief and disgust.

"You're a monster!" She says angrily. Turning away from him she quickly moves to free the girls and I stand up to help her but keep my eye on Boo Ki. Karen leads the terrified girls up the stairs but she and one of the other girls have to help the dead-eyed girl walk. She will probably never be able to live a normal life again. I scoop up Boo Ki in my arms to carry her upstairs and she buries her face in my chest, closing her eyes. I take one last look at the son-of-a-bitch drowning in his blood on the floor and he looks up at me in fear as he gasps for air.

"Karma's a bitch mother fucker. I would have just put you in jail but then you touched her…" I nod at the woman in my arms and his eyes narrow in anger.

"She's mine!" He gasps.

"No. She's mine." I say and turn towards the stairs.

Karen is on the phone with the police as I exit the basement. She fusses over the other girls as she talks to them and I can see she has the situation handled. I make my way to the front door but she sees me as she hangs up her phone and runs towards me.

"Wait! Where are you going with her? The ambulance and the police are on their way. She needs to go to the hospital and he is still down there."

"I locked the door. He can't hurt anyone anymore." I tell her. She looks worriedly at Boo Ki and reaches up to push her hair out of her face. Boo Ki's eyes stay closed and her hand is still fisted in my shirt. "I'll take care of her Karen-ssi." I say in Korean. "I can't let the police know who we are. I'm sorry. We'll check up on you in a couple days."

Her eyes widen in surprise but she nods at me and I turn to carry Boo Ki out the door.

**(^_^)**

Pacing worriedly in front of the bathroom, I look at my phone again to see if Ji-Hoo has called. I already called him and told him what happened. He said he is on his way back to the apartment but he doesn't seem to be getting here fast enough. Boo Ki has been in the shower for over an hour. Debating on whether or not to barge in to check on her, I finally make up my mind and open the door. She sits shivering on the floor of the shower with her knees pulled up to her chest and her eyes stare unseeing at the wall.

"…Boo Ki?" I ask uncertainly. She turns to look at me and the emptiness in her eyes scare me.

"I need Saia. I need her Woo Bin-ah." She says quietly. My heart jumps at the informal use of my name on her lips but my worry quickly pushes the thought aside. I nod my head and reach into the shower to turn off the water. Grabbing a towel I wrap it around her and help her up to her feet, making sure she keeps her modesty.

"I promise I'll call Saia if you try and get some sleep. Okay?"

She nods her head and exiting the bathroom, I watch her go into her room before I pull out my phone to call DK.

"Yobosayeo?"

"I need to speak to Saia." I tell him.

"She's in the middle of a meeting right now sir."

"Then interrupt it!" I snap.

"Yes sir." I hear voices and shuffling as he talks to her.

"What is it?" Saia asks me and I can hear the worry in her voice. I tell her what happened and about Boo Ki almost being raped by the Senator.

"Oh my god…No no no. I can't believe this almost happened again." she moans and my heart almost stops.

"What do you mean 'again'?" I ask.

"I'm leaving right now for the airport. I'm taking the first flight to New York. Let her know I'll be there." She says and then hangs up on me.

Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I walk over to Boo Ki's door and quietly knock before slowly opening it. She is already dressed and in bed. Her lamp is on and her back is turned towards me.

"Saia is on her way. She will be her soon." I tell her. She nods her head.

"Thank you." She says quietly.

I turn my head as I hear Ji-Hoo come in the front door and he makes his way into her room to check on her. He examines the cut on her shoulder and asks her if she still feels any affects from the drug. My head is buzzing with everything that happened. I could have lost her tonight and she would've never known how important she is to me. To make matters worse, I know very little about her past so I can't comfort her. I don't know what she has been through.

My joke of an engagement has been over for a while now yet I still hesitate in pursuing Boo Ki out of a ridiculous fear of being hurt. Me! The Don Juan and Prince Song of South Korea is terrified of being hurt! I would rather be beat up in a fight than have my heart broken and Boo Ki keeps her feelings so well hidden that I don't know if she feels anything like that for me. After tonight though, I've made up my mind. I can't afford to waste any more time on fear. My whole life is about taking risks. Now it's my heart's turn to take a chance.

**A/N: I hate seeing Boo Ki weak but she is still human after all. She will be back into butt-kicking form very soon. ^_^ I am very happy that this chapter focuses on Woo Bin. He's a pretty cool guy. Thank you everyone for reading! ^_^ **


	7. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

Everyone is already in bed but I can't sleep. My first instinct is to be out doing something. I'm a night owl and it's what I'm used to… but I can't. Pacing my room, I look out at Boo Ki's closed door. I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do. I feel so damn helpless. Every other woman I've had in my life always came crying to me for comfort. Not her. In fact, she hasn't cried period that I'm aware of. She is always so cool and collected but I know she's still rattled over the Senator. I can't quite figure her out. She has so many different facets to her personality that I'm never sure what she's feeling. The only one that really knows her is Saia.

I wonder what happened to Boo Ki that made her this way. She said that her grandfather broke her and I wonder what she meant by that. She says that I shouldn't try to understand her, that I will only be disappointed. Why would she think that? Doesn't she know me well enough by now to know that I will never judge her like that? She is my friend. I trust her. I would never do that to her.

The Senator is dead. I would kill him again without a second thought for touching her. He deserves to suffer a thousand times over for what he did. The police uncovered a mass burial site on his estate for the girls he was "done" with. _Sick, psychotic bastard… _They ruled his death as self-defense and are searching for the "hero" that saved the girls that are still alive. I won't step forward of course. It feels good to be called a hero though. That title has never been in my description before. Karen has been doing her best to help the girls that Bill held captive. She really does have a caring heart. I hope that with him gone, she will be able to find some peace and be happy.

Wandering out into the hallway, I stop in front of Boo Ki's door and strain my ears for any sign that she's still awake. The apartment is silent and I don't hear anything. Quietly opening her door, I walk over to her bed to check on her. Her breathing is even and she appears to be asleep. Reaching for her blanket, I pull it up to cover her shoulder. It's starting to snow outside and it's a little chilly in here. _I'll check the thermostat before I go back to my room. _Watching her sleep, my chest feels oddly tight and I have the strangest urge to touch her. Touching a woman has never been a problem for me. I enjoy it. But this is different. It's more than just physical attraction and a lot stronger than anything I have ever felt before. I already know that I like her as more than just a friend but with Boo Ki, I don't know how to show her. She won't trust any of my usual methods. She knows me too well. Plus I don't want to treat her like any of my former flames.

Tearing my eyes away from her sleeping face, I exit her room and leave her door open a crack just in case. I should ask Ji-Hoo what to do. He has always given me good advice before. Or I could just go for the direct approach and just flat out tell her. At least then I could get it over with and know if she feels anything for me too. Sighing, I go back to my room after adjusting the thermostat and lay down on my bed. My mind is too busy with her to sleep. I look up to make sure I left my door open a little bit and try to turn my thoughts towards our upcoming trip to Colombia. We can't afford to be distracted when we are there. One mistake will cost us and the price is too high. The Maeng family won't be there but the country itself can be volatile at times. I need to get my mind back in the game.

Hearing a key slide into the lock of the front door, I sit up in bed and listen as the door opens. Saia and DK are finally here. I debate on whether or not to go see them but think better of it. I'm sure they are tired and Saia will want to be with Boo Ki. Hopefully she will be able to give her the comfort that she needs. I have to push down a small twinge of jealousy. They are best friends after all. I have no right to be jealous. I just want Boo Ki to need me beside her too.

**(^_^)**

**SAIA'S POV:**

DK watches me out of the corner of his eye as he drives us to Woo Bin's apartment in New York. We finally arrived here after hopping from city to city in order to throw off anyone that may be following us. DK is a good friend but I have hardly said two words to him since we left Seoul. He has tried to talk to me but I just nod or shake my head. He doesn't realize what is going on in my mind right now. _He has no idea…_

_How could this happen? _Boo Ki never trusts anyone. Not after everything that she's been through. I can't believe that she was almost raped by that son-of-a-bitch. I remember how traumatic it had been for her when her own family had done that to her over and over again. _And watched too for god's sake!_ That had been her breaking point. She wanted out after that. I am the only one besides her Aunt Mo Ne that knows who and what she really is. No one else can possibly understand her like we can.

I nervously bite my knuckles and try to ease the worry in the pit of my stomach. I don't know what her reaction is going to be because of this. She deals with things differently than most people. Her darker side could rear its head and I know she will regret it later on if that happens. I hope that she just needs comfort and then she will be fine. I have no way of knowing for sure. Even though we have been friends for this long, I still don't always know what she is going to do. I thought that her training me would help in understanding her better but I still couldn't walk in her shoes or live in her nightmare.

We finally arrive at Woo Bin's apartment and we are both exhausted and cold. It's snowing outside and I'm freezing. DK didn't turn the heater on in the car to help him stay awake while driving. It's barely 2am and I highly doubt anyone is awake. DK pulls a key out of his pocket and unlocks the door. I quietly follow him inside and try to adjust my eyes to the darkness. I watch DK head for the couch in the living room, ready for sleep and dig out my cell phone. Using it as a light, I head for the bedrooms and peer into the first one. I see Boo Ki "asleep" in bed but she isn't fooling me. I'm sure she was awake the moment the key slid into the lock. Sitting down on her bed, I place my chin on her shoulder and stare down at her.

"You're not snoring like a dinosaur so you must be either: A. Not sick or B. Not asleep." I quietly say to her. I hear her snort of laughter as her mouth twitches in a smile.

"How is it that you always manage to make me laugh no matter how shitty things are?" She asks as she opens her eyes to look at me. "And I do not snore."

"It's my specialty. What can I say? And yes, you do snore when you aren't in 'mission mode'. You just don't know it."

"Whatever…" She grumbles with a yawn and I move to lay down beside her. "Woo Bin came in to check on me before you got here. He was the one that woke me up first. You should go sleep in Ji-Hoo's room. I know you miss him."

"You're more important to me right now."

"I'll be fine tonight. We can talk in the morning. Change into some of my clothes and go see him."

"…Okay. Which room is his?"

"Down the hall. If you hear any "snoring that sounds like a dinosaur", it's just Woo Bin."

"I don't know… DK might be fighting him for that title." I say and roll my eyes. Boo Ki gives me a genuine smile and hugs me. "Thank you for coming. I really do need you right now."

"You're welcome. You know I've always got your back."

**(^_^)**

**JI-HOO'S POV:**

Slowly waking up from my restless sleep, I feel a cold body slide into bed against my back and I look over my shoulder to see Saia's long, sun-kissed hair peeking out from under the blanket. Turning over, I pull back the blanket so I can see her face and my heart pounds with joy at the sight of her.

"When did you get here?" I ask

"A little while ago. Go back to sleep." She says with a shiver and moves closer to my arm, trying to get warm.

"You're freezing! Come here." I pull her close and wrap my arms around her, loving the feel of having her in my arms again. I tangle my legs with hers to help her warm up faster. I am so happy to see her but I know that I am not the reason she is here. "…How is she?"

"She's coping. I'll talk to her more in the morning."

"We've been worried about her." I say with a yawn.

She nods in response. Her body is slowly heating up and our combined warmth is making me drowsy again. Pulling the blanket up around us, I would love to stay awake and just watch her sleep but I can't. Having her close to me puts my mind and heart at ease. I always sleep the best when she's in my arms. Kissing her temple, I let my eyes drift closed and feel her snuggle closer to me.

"I may have to steal you and take you back home with me. Our bed is too empty and cold at home without you." Her sleepy voice murmurs.

"…I couldn't agree more."

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

It's 5am and the apartment seems to be quiet. My body is still protesting the early hour since it is used to sleeping in after all these years. It's funny how easily I can fall back into my training patterns though. I still remember them like it was just yesterday.

I hear my door open and know that it's Saia. She is the only person in this apartment that can walk that quietly other than me. I'm proud of her for still keeping up with it. It's been a while since we trained together. I wanted to teach her to protect herself from her father. I knew her kind heart would probably never be able to attack him because he was the only family she had at the time. But I hoped that she would at least be able to defend herself. I hated seeing the bruises she would have from him. She tried to hide them from me so that I wouldn't worry but I still did, and she worried about my injuries from my family too. Her bubbly and humorous personality baffled me and I was drawn to her warmth. It was something I never experienced before. I would have gone crazy without her …Or worse. I might have lost myself without her. She means the world to me.

"Mind if I join you?" she asks as she plops down beside me and starts to stretch.

"Not at all. It will be interesting to see what you remember and if you can keep up." I say calmly.

"Ya! It hasn't been THAT long since we practiced together. Plus my ballet performances have kept me in shape."

"I'm not keeping you from performing am I?" I ask worriedly. I definitely need her right now but I don't want her to miss out. Being a ballerina for the SBC has always been her dream.

"Nope. My next performance isn't till next week. All I'm missing out on is practice and my director is fine with it. I miss it sometimes for work anyways."

"You work too much." I mutter in disgust.

"Hmpf. I haven't been working as much lately. Ji-Hoo threatened me so I've had to back off and focus only on ballet."

"What could he possibly have threatened you with? He's a "dead" man. It's not like he has any control over his company right now."

"True but he threatened if I didn't take it easy, he would have Woo Bin's father lock me up in their house till I get some rest or till Ji-Hoo comes home, whichever comes first." She says with a grimace.

I smile and shake my head. "I don't know how you do it. I could never allow someone to have that much control over my life again."

"It isn't about control. He's my balance, just like I'm his. We keep each other from going overboard. I think a good partner is someone that keeps us in check when we need it and is honest with us. We are friends first and then lovers. I think that makes a world of difference."

"You two have some kind of cosmic connection and a steamy love life, a combination that is very rare. At best, the rest of us hope for at least one of those things in our relationships. You are one of the few to have both." I counter. She laughs as if I said something funny and shakes her head. "What?"

"Boo Ki-ah, someday you will be with the right one and you will understand what I mean."

"…That isn't in the cards for me." I say quietly. As I begin practicing different moves, she only smiles wider and I eye her suspiciously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

She bites her lip to keep from laughing and I know what she is thinking.

"Saia Caelum, I am not meant to be with Song Woo Bin!" I say in exasperation. She raises an eye brow at me and begins practicing the same moves. "It's not Woo Bin!"

"And what if it is?"

"Song Woo Bin is stubborn, arrogant, overprotective, and short-tempered."

"Not to mention handsome, funny, smart, loyal, and tough." She says. "He likes you. You know he does and not just as a friend."

"…I can't Saia. He is a Chaebol, he has Jae Kyung, and even if I could, I won't lose my friendship with him just to date him. It isn't worth it. Besides, men don't do anything but let me down."

"…He isn't Sang Hee. And more importantly, he isn't your grandfather or your father." She quietly says. I spin around to face her and my angry gaze meets her serious one. She knows that I can squash her like a bug, yet she isn't afraid. She's eerily calm as she faces me. "What happened at the estate?"

Taking a deep breath, I sit down on the floor and explain what happened, including my mistake. She quietly listens and just like always, there is acceptance and understanding in her eyes. For me, there is shame and anger for what happened. She should be upset with me for letting my guard down or angry at me for not being able to fight back. But she isn't like that.

"It isn't your fault." She says.

"I almost let it happen again!" I say angrily. "How is that not my fault?"

"He's the one that tried to do that to you. You didn't do it to yourself. You didn't know-"

"But I did know! I knew he would try something and I still fell for it! Woo Bin had to save me-"

"And he did. He was there when you needed him."

"I shouldn't have "needed" anybody! I should have been able to take down that scumbag all on my own!" I say in disgust.

"Okay then. Lesson learned. But you need Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin to complete these missions. I know you can do everything on your own. That isn't the point though. You are here to work **with** them. If it bothers you so much that he saved you, then pay him back in some way. Save his life if that's what you need to do. Just stop blaming yourself and start focusing your mind on doing what it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again."

I hear the logic in her words and it calms my hectic mind. "How is it that you understand people so well?"

She smirks at me. "I think Ji-Hoo's wisdom is starting to rub off on me."

"Ani. You have always been this way... You're right. The perfect partner is the one that balances us out. But it applies to best friends as well… because that is what you always do for me."


	8. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

I wake up to the best sound I've heard in months: laughter. It's been 3 days since Saia and DK arrived and Boo Ki has slowly opened back up to us. My heart jumps when I hear Boo Ki laugh as I make my way to the kitchen. Ji-Hoo is sitting at the counter with Saia on his lap and Boo Ki is leaning against the counter telling him a story from their childhood.

"-so here is tiny-ass Saia thinking she is going to be able to protect every kid that gets picked on in our class, just because I taught her one move to defend herself with. She walks up to the biggest bully in our school and tells him to stop picking on the other kids."

"Oh my god…" Saia groans and covers her blushing face with her hands in embarrassment. Ji-Hoo is listening intently and chuckles at his horrified fiancée.

"What happened?" he asks as I pour myself a cup of coffee.

"The kid laughed and took at swing at her. She dodged it but didn't see his other hand in time."

"He actually hit her?" I ask in disbelief. Guys don't hit girls. Not in my book anyways.

"Yes." Saia moans from behind her hands. "He almost knocked me out. It was like a bear swatting a kitten with his paw."

I can see the shock on Ji-Hoo's face but he seems torn between concern and laughter. Boo Ki can't stop laughing.

"He laid her out flat on the ground and then she has the nerve to ask him if that's all he's got while she's lying there. She was slurring her words too."

"Oh my god… I actually thought I was going to be able to do something about that kid." Saia says in disgust as she finally drops her hands.

"Why didn't you stop her?" I ask Boo Ki.

"I was so surprised that my tiny tot friend was actually trying to stand up to that kid, I didn't react at first. It was like everything was moving in slow motion. Once he hit her that was it. I knocked him out. It was funny afterwards though." She says with a smile and sips her coffee. I can't help but stare into her dancing eyes. She looks so happy and when I smile at her, her eyes widen in surprise. "What?"

"I've missed that smile and laugh of yours." I say.

"Oh…" She says nervously and looks away. I see Ji-Hoo and Saia try to hide their smiles as she slides off his lap.

"I need to go get changed." Saia says.

"Me too." Ji-Hoo quickly follows her. _Real subtle you two… _

I move closer to Boo Ki until I'm almost touching her. Taking a deep breath, I breathe in her scent and see her eye me warily. She smells like apples again and I have grown to love the scent of them more than any fancy perfume.

"Boo Ki-ah." I say quietly and cup her chin with my hand. She tries to back away but her escape is blocked by the counter. I try to keep my eyes locked with hers but when she bites her lip, my gaze falls to her mouth. Her lips look so soft and inviting.

"Don't even think about it." She says in a shaky voice.

"Why?" I ask and smile mischievously at her. Removing my hand from her face, I place my hands on the counter to trap her, even though I know she can break free if she really wants to. Her big doe eyes start to narrow in irritation and she pushes out of my arms.

"You know why."

I grab her arm to keep her from walking away from me. "Jae Kyung and I broke up. I tried to explain that to you before but-"

"It doesn't matter. You and I are worlds apart." She says and I abruptly let go of her, feeling like she just slapped me.

"You have never judged me before for being the Mafia Prince. Why now?"

"That isn't what I meant. You are a Chaebol and I am just a common restaurant manager. I grew up mostly on the streets in a rough neighborhood. I don't compare to girls of your class and status."

"You're right. You don't. You're better than them."

"No I'm not. You have no idea." She scoffs and shakes her head. "I need to finish packing."

Boo Ki turns towards her room and Saia watches her in confusion as she brushes past her. She walks up to me as she puts her long hair up in a ponytail and looks at me curiously. Leaning against the counter in disappointment, I stare at the floor trying to figure out why Boo Ki pushes me away all the time.

"Woo Bin-ah, I'm going to let you in on a little secret." Saia quietly says. I look up into her eyes and she smiles at me. "Boo Ki does like you a lot and I know you like her. But if you really want to be by her side, you can't give up. You can't stop pushing her. She's been hurt in ways you can't even imagine but you are earning her trust. She needs to see that you won't just walk away. If you prove to her how much you care, she will open up to you."

"Why are you telling me this? Isn't she your friend?"

"Yes. But you are my friend too and I love you both." She says and squeezes my arm. I stare down at her in shock. _How can two such amazing women exist?_

"Thank you." I murmur.

"But if you hurt her, I will have to kill you. Don't forget that." She seriously says.

"I understand." I say with a nod and a smile. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

**(^_^)**

**SAIA'S POV:**

Making sure the last of Ji-Hoo's clothes are packed, I move towards the bathroom to see if there is anything left. I want to be sure he has everything. As I move past the bed he grabs my wrist to stop me. He's been watching me for the past 10 minutes from his seat on the bed.

"I got everything." He says quietly. He pulls me close and wraps his arms around me as I look down into his eyes. I can see the sadness that is brewing in the depths of those chocolate orbs. I don't want to leave him either but I need to get back to Seoul and they are leaving for Columbia soon. I am already cutting it close getting home for my performance but I don't mind. This trip was worth it and I needed to give him something anyway.

"You are forgetting one thing."

"What's that?"

I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a small box. "This. It's a late Christmas present."

He looks at me in surprise as he takes it from me. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to." I say with a smile. "It's nothing much but… I hope you like it."

He releases me to open it and pulls out a long silver chain with a silver cross that dangles at the end of it. His intense gaze sparkles with fascination as he examines it and I can tell he loves it. I chose it for its unique design and simplicity but it also has a deeper meaning for me.

"I'm not sure what you believe in but I pray that God protects you and keeps you safe. I wanted to give you this as a symbol of my hope that you will come back to me very soon." I tell him as my eyes lock with his.

"It's perfect. Thank you." He says sincerely. I smile and take it from his hands to put it around his neck. The cross falls just below his heart. "I don't want to go. I don't want to be away from you anymore."

The pain in his voice makes my eyes burn but I know he needs to do this. "Woo Bin and Boo Ki need you. It will be over soon and then I won't let you out of my sight. You might even get tired of me."

"That will never happen." He says with a shake of his head.

"I don't know. I think if I haunt the hospital enough, your patients will probably start to complain." I tease. He pulls my head down and hungrily invades my mouth. I moan as our tongues meet and he pulls me on top of him as he falls backwards on the bed. My pulse is pounding through my veins and I ache everywhere his wandering hands touch me. I'm happily sinking into the sweet pleasure we are creating but the logical side of me bursts my happy bubble. _We don't have time for this…_ I break our kiss and sigh when his mouth moves along my jaw to my ear.

"Ji-Hoo… We can't… We don't have time. We have to leave soon." I say in disappointment. He rolls till I am beneath him and lifts his head to look at me. My heart skips a beat at the love and desire burning in his eyes.

"I don't care if I have to take a later flight. I am going to make love to you." He murmurs and crushes my mouth beneath his.

**(^_^) **

**BOO KI'S POV:**

_It's been a long time since I've been here. _I look out the window of the car at the city of Bogota, Colombia. The streets are busy with people and I am anxious to reach the house that the Song's set up for us here. I want to get unpacked and relax before we start studying our new target.

"How much Spanish do you know, Boo Ki?" Woo Bin asks. His Spanish is good but he doesn't know I'm fluent or that I spent a lot of time here growing up.

"Sé más que tu'…" (I know more than you…)

He chuckles and lowers his sunglasses to give me a wink. Shaking my head, I turn my attention back out the window. Ji-Hoo sits in the back seat and looks around as well but his gaze is distant. I can see the chain from Saia's gift peeking out from under the collar of his polo shirt. It was hard for both of us to part with her in New York. I wish she could have come with us but I know she has to return to Seoul. I miss her already.

The weather here is a dramatic change from the snow of New York. It's humid and hot. Thank goodness for the air conditioning but this car sticks out like a sore thumb. A Porsche Cayenne is definitely not going to blend in on the streets.

"You're going to have to find us a different car."

"What? Why? This is a great car." Woo Bin looks at me in disbelief.

"It's too obvious. It will be fine for any kind of parties or events that we go to but for doing any kind of recon, it's too noticeable. You two need to avoid the southern and western parts of the city if you can. Try to dress in cheap clothes and don't wear anything of value."

"You seem to know a lot about this city." Ji-Hoo says in interest.

"Yes well since we have to be here for a while, I need to be sure that you two are safe."

"You make it sound like you're our bodyguard." Woo Bin chuckles. "We can take care of ourselves."

"This isn't Seoul, Woo Bin-ssi. You have little to no back-up here and these guys don't mess around. If they think they can use you for money, they will. I know that both of you are smart and can handle yourselves in a fight but that won't mean anything if you are outnumbered."

"We'll be careful." Ji-Hoo says and turns his attention back out the window. I know that Ji-Hoo will try but I will still have to watch him closely. I won't let anything happen to him because I want him to make it back to Saia. As for Woo Bin, he has street smarts but he's still a little spoiled. He's going to have to play more "dirty" here but I think he is prepared to do that if he needs to.

We pull into the house and thankfully it's in a fairly discreet part of town. After dropping off my bags in my room, I change into my bikini to try out the pool in the yard. It gives me a chance to quietly check out the security of the house. It has a brick fence and a strong gate with a brand new security system. We should be safe here. It gives me one less thing to focus on. I need to see if I have any contacts left in the city without Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin finding out. It shouldn't be too hard.

Diving into the water, I clear my mind of all emotion and worry. I need to be careful. The last thing I need is for my family to find out I am still alive. There is a possibility that they still have people here. I will have to be at the top of my game. As long as I am, they won't even know I'm here. After all, I was the very best for a reason.

I hear a splash as someone joins me in the pool and I turn to see Woo Bin swimming towards me. I kick to the surface for air and he follows me. This isn't the first time I have seen him without a shirt on but I have to resist the urge to stare. He has been working out a lot with Ji-Hoo and it definitely shows. It doesn't look like there is an ounce of fat on him.

"Seeing how long you can hold your breath?" He asks as he swims close to me.

"That and thinking." I say.

"Thinking about what?"

"Everything. I'm just preparing myself for what we need to do."

"Well think about it later. Ji-Hoo is taking a nap. We should relax. We can start tracking our target tomorrow. Is there anything specific you want to do tonight?"

"Not really." I watch him closely as he smiles at me. There has been a strange light in his eyes every time he looks at me since this morning. I thought that he would back off after what I said to him in the kitchen, but he seems almost… happy and more persistent. I admit that his relationship with Jae Kyung always seemed a bit off and I am curious as to what the whole story is but I won't ask. It's best that I don't know. Without that obstacle between us, I'm going to have a harder time keeping my distance.

"There must be something you would like to do. Go shopping maybe? Or we could have dinner somewhere." He swims closer to me and suddenly I feel like I can't breathe, my heart is pounding in my chest. This is starting to be a common thing when he gets close to me.

"Ani. I'm just going to take a shower and unpack." I say and swim for the edge of the pool. Getting out, I wrap my towel around me before he sees the nasty scar on my lower back. I don't need him asking questions I don't want to answer. Securing the towel, I turn around just before he reaches me. _He's too close…_

"Why do you have to be so damn close all the time?" I ask in irritation.

He laughs and reaches around me for his own towel, letting his chiseled chest rub against my arm. "I like being close to you. What can I say?"

My arm burns where his skin touched me and I have to fight against the shiver of pleasure threatening to travel through my body. Before he can wipe the water off of his face, I yank the towel out of his hand and cover his head with it. Spinning away from him, I head back inside the house and he quickly catches up to me.

"Come on! Let's go somewhere and hang out. I've never been to Colombia before. I'd like to enjoy it before we have to get to work."

Stopping to look at him, I see his playful smile and I can feel myself wavering. Plus, if we go out I may be able to find out where my contacts are. It would be a good opportunity. "…Sure. Why not?"

**A/N: Thank you to all my readers and I apologize for the late "thanks". Everyone has been so great and welcoming of my stories, it makes me really happy. I also must apologize for my longer than usual updates. I know that I have only been able to put up one chapter a week but I have been trying to read up on Colombia because I am not familiar with it. I want to try and get it right. It has also been a tiny struggle getting into Woo Bin's head. He is playful yet serious, ashamed of his background, and yet still takes pride in his abilities… I will try my hardest to keep him as true to the series as I can. It's very important to me that the BBF characters are that way in my stories. Thank you again! You are all amazing! ^_^**


	9. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

**A/N: I got discouraged and almost gave up this story because I forgot something important. I love that people are enjoying my stories but the fact is, I am writing them for me. I may not explain things very well and my grammar may not be as great as I would like but for better or worse these stories are still mine. I do revise them often after I am done, cleaning them up and re-wording things. I do want them to be as clear on the screen as they are in my head. I don't have anyone proof reading or editing. I do everything myself because I want these to be all mine, with no one else's hand in it. I guess that makes me selfish. **

**I welcome constructive criticism but I have a hard time taking it at first. It is a major flaw and I admit it. I will always try my best to make these stories better but at the end of the day my harshest critic is still me. Lol. **

**Now that I am done with my rambling I will return to my story… ^_^**

***ALL CHARACTER'S ARE FICTIONAL. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO PERSONS LIVING OR DECEASED IS PURELY COINCIDENTIAL.* **

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

I must admit that I am surprised that Boo Ki chose a club to go to of all places. I never really pictured her as the partying type. Then again as I sit at the bar and wait for her to return from the restroom, I get the feeling that she isn't really here for the "scene". Turning my attention to the dance floor, I see a lot of beautiful women. Yi Jung and I would have had a lot of fun here back in our playboy days. There are several older women who are looking my way and I wink at them. I've always preferred to date older women whenever I decided to have a girlfriend. Boo Ki has changed that though. In a way I'm glad. I don't want her to be anything like my other girls.

"Still a big flirt I see." Boo Ki says with a snicker.

"I'm just acknowledging that they have great taste but I only have an interest in you."

"Sure…" She says and rolls her eyes. I lean in close to her and look her in the eye.

"I am going to prove myself to you Boo Ki-ah." I say seriously.

She searches my eyes and I keep my gaze steady. I will show her that I am serious. Looking away she reaches for my beer and takes a long drink.

"Why don't you start by buying me one of these?" she says.

Laughing, I nod my head. "Sure."

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

So far I haven't had any luck locating my contacts tonight. It's been fun flirting with Woo Bin though. I haven't had the chance to flirt with a guy in awhile. I know it's dangerous to encourage him but I am tired of not having any fun on this trip. In Seoul I regularly went to clubs. It was never Saia's thing so I always went alone. Life's too short to not have fun once in awhile. I never went home with any of the guys I met though. I'm not that kind of girl. When it comes to sex, I can always find a nice guy for a quick tumble in the sheets. It gets rid of the itch for awhile. I don't do relationships. _Not anymore._

We make our way to the last bar for the night and I finally notice someone I recognize. This place is a bit rough and I warned Woo Bin but he still came with me. He doesn't seem bothered by it at all. I need to find a way to talk to the woman at the bar alone. The bartender gives us our drinks and makes his way to the other end of the bar.

"I'll be right back. He didn't mix my drink right." I tell Woo Bin.

"I can take care of it."

"That's okay. Wait here." Making my way over to where the bartender is, I hand him the glass and ask him to make it stronger. He nods and starts working on it. Pretending to look around, I finally turn to the woman beside me.

"Hello Maria." I say to her and flash my bracelet at her. Only a select few know what it is. It carries my family's crest and she recognizes it immediately. Her eyes go wide with fear and she moves to stand up but I put my hand on her shoulder to keep her in her seat.

"Easy. Do you remember me?"

She shakes her head but then takes a closer look at me. "Wait. Boo Ki? Is it you?"

"Si. It's me. It's been a long time."

"Not long enough." She murmurs. I smile and nod.

"I'm not a part of that family anymore." I tell her.

"Sure… If it's true, then what do you want from me and why do you still wear the seal?"

"I'm wearing it because I need their resources at the moment. Are any of them here right now?"

"Not that I am aware of."

"I need you to find out for me."

"Why? If you are no longer with the Maeng family then I am not obligated to do anything for you."

"I'll give you double what they pay you to help me and an extra $5000 to keep quiet about me being here." I tell her as the bartender returns my drink to me.

"Are you for real?" she asks in disbelief.

"I'm very serious. You know me well enough to remember that I keep my word."

"…Okay then. I'll look into it. How do I contact you?"

I slip her a piece of paper with my number on it and she takes it as I sip my drink.

"Making friends?" Woo Bin asks as he steps up behind me. Maria looks at him warily. She doesn't trust anyone. I can't say I blame her after the life she has led. Turning around to face Woo Bin I give him a mischievous smile and see Maria slip away as I distract him.

"I was just asking her for a recommendation on a good place to eat. The locals know all the best places." I tell him. He moves closer and dips his head.

"If you were hungry you should have just said something. I'm hungry too." He says suggestively. His arms come up to trap me against the bar and I can see the fire building in his eyes. I tilt my head and move my mouth towards his. His eyes widen in surprise and then grow warm with pleasure as I move closer.

"Let's go then. I know the perfect restaurant." I say a breath away from his lips. I can feel my pulse pounding in my veins. _Careful… I may be taking my teasing a bit too far… _Pulling out of his arms, I make my way towards the exit with him following close behind me. Once we are out of the bar he pulls me back against his chest. He nips my ear and I shiver in pleasure. I've never denied that Woo Bin is a very sexy man but flirting with him is playing with fire.

"That was cruel." He breathes into my ear and nuzzles my neck. It takes every ounce of my self control to not turn around and taste those sexy lips of his. I can't afford to lose him. His friendship is important to me and if I kiss him, it will all be over. Pulling out of his arms, I turn to him and put my hand on his chest to keep him at a distance.

"Have you ever had real Mexican food Woo Bin-ah? Not the stuff your gourmet chef makes but authentic Mexican food?"

His frustration is written clearly on his face but he plays along with my change in subject.

"No. I can't say I have. I'm more partial to Italian."

"Then you are in for a treat." I tell him as I grab his arm and lead him down the street. My ear and neck still burn from his touch but I try to ignore it. _Why can't things be easier?_

**(^_^)**

**SAIA'S POV:**

_Geez I'm still so tired… _Ballet practice ran long yesterday thanks to Yu Mi trying to show off for the director. She never has forgiven me for getting the lead role in our production. I'm disappointed though that the season is almost over and our last performance is next week. _Time has gone by so fast…_

I glance to my right and have to hide my grin. DK looks terrified in the passenger seat of Ji-Hoo's white Lotus. DK hates when I drive this car because he doesn't like how small it is. It's a nice car. Ji-Hoo won't drive it even when he's here so I use it. I see no reason to let it sit and collect dust in the garage.

Today is a special day for me but no one knows it. It's hard being here with no one to talk to. I always have DK but he's not Boo Ki. It's not the same. Walking through the halls of the Suam Arts Center, I feel a twinge of sadness that Ji-Hoo isn't here. One year ago today, I met him for the first time when I sprained my ankle. He was the doctor that examined it at the hospital. It's kind of silly to feel so sentimental over something like this but I can't help it.

It's difficult to spend time with Ga Eul or any of the F4 since I know things they don't. I don't like seeing the grief on their faces. I wish I could just tell them the truth. I didn't realize how affected Jun Pyo would be by Ji-Hoo's "death". He always looks so sad every time he looks at me and always asks me things about Ji-Hoo. He seems to feel guilty for not spending more time with him. I know that the F4 are like brothers but Ji-Hoo seems to have distanced himself from all of them before he met me. Knowing him, he was probably at work or asleep.

I understand Yi Jung's grief a lot more because he and Woo Bin are very close but he misses Ji-Hoo too. Both Jun Pyo and Yi Jung are doing their best to keep it together and they are constantly bugging me to spend time with them. At first I hated it because they always looked at me as if I was going to break but now it feels like they want me around just because of Ji-Hoo. I feel bad for avoiding them but honestly I haven't had time. Even though I agreed to Ji-Hoo's demand that I not work so much my time is still taken up by ballet, work, and now that I know he's alive, I find myself sleeping a lot. My body seems to be trying to make up for lost time. I still have nightmares but they come less frequently.

As I walk into Ji-Hoo's office I am not prepared for the sight I see. Jun Pyo, Yi Jung, and Seo Hyun are waiting for me and a huge bouquet of flowers is sitting on the desk. It's hard keeping a reign on my temper at seeing Seo Hyun. I haven't seen her since the funeral and we do not get along. It irritates me seeing her here.

"Well this is unexpected. What are all of you doing here so early and what's with the flowers?" I ask calmly. DK takes up his spot by the door and I sit down in Ji-Hoo's chair.

"We came to see you but the flowers were here before we arrived. They aren't from us." Yi Jung says. I look at the bouquet in confusion and finally spot the card buried among the blossoms. Pulling it out, I open it and my heart jumps to my throat.

_One year ago today you changed my life forever. I love you. _There's no name but I already know who it's from. I blink back the tears and have to clear my throat at his sweet words. I didn't expect him to remember or to do anything about it. It really makes me happy that he remembers and despite the risk, he still sent me a reminder of his love for me.

"Saia? Is everything alright?" Yi Jung asks in concern. I nod and tuck the card in my pocket.

"So what brings you here?" I ask as I regain my composure.

"We wanted to go over some things with you. We might be called to testify against Tae Mu and since Seo Hyun is part of the prosecution she's here to go over questions both sides will probably ask us." Jun Pyo says.

We spend most of the morning discussing the trial and preparing ourselves for what we need to say on the witness stand. My stomach rumbles angrily at me for skipping breakfast and I glance at my watch as Jun Pyo finally stands up to leave. ShinHwa's CEO is an incredibly busy man. I'm surprised he was able to stay for this long.

"Jan Di wants to know if you can stop by for dinner on Sunday with the rest of us. It would be nice if you would come." He says quietly. His tone of voice surprises me. The usually loud and boisterous Jun Pyo just hasn't quite been the same since the explosion.

"Plus Ga Eul misses you a lot. She's so close to her due date that she doesn't get out much. It would be nice if you could come and see her." Yi Jung says.

"…Okay. I'll be there." I say with a smile. They nod and leave the office but Seo Hyu hangs back and I watch her warily. The last thing I need is a lecture from Ji-Hoo's old flame.

"Saia, I know we haven't gotten along in the past but I hope we can put our differences aside. We both want the same thing. We want to see Tae Mu pay for what he's done." She says.

"…Yes. We do."

"I miss Ji-Hoo a lot. There are a lot of things I regret not saying to him but I know that it wouldn't have made a difference. He loved you more than he has ever loved anybody. I hated you for that and I realized at the funeral just how much you loved him too. You've done a great job with the Foundation and the Hospital. I'm sure he's very proud of you."

"…Thanks." I say uncomfortably. It's still early but I suddenly have the urge for a very strong drink…

**(^_^)**

**ALEJANDRO'S POV:**

It's been three days and I still can't get her out of my head. Sure, she was with another guy but she was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She is definitely foreign, maybe Asian. Her big doe eyes got my attention first. They are dark and mysterious with a hint of playfulness and intelligence in them. Her dark red hair is obviously dyed but suits her. Cut in a bob, it falls just below her chin and her bangs are swept to the right side of her face. She's tall with long, sexy legs and she's thin but toned. She probably works out.

I remember seeing her laugh at the guy she was with and feel myself grow warm at the memory of her smile. _Damn it… Why did that night have to be about business? _I regret not being able to talk to her but I couldn't get away. What were they doing in a place like that anyway? None of the tourists frequent that club. Only locals know about it so they must be familiar with the city. It bugs me that she was with someone but even though they seemed to be friendly with each other, they didn't look like they were together. I never saw them touch each other.

It isn't very often that a woman seriously catches my attention. I don't have the time for their foolish games. This one seems different though. _Or I could just be seeing what I want to see. _I shake my head at the thought as my driver pulls up in front of my father's house.

My father and I rarely get along but since it's my mother's birthday I agreed to come. Listening to my father talk about his campaign for President isn't very appealing but luckily my older brother and sister are here to distract him away from me. Wouldn't he be shocked if I brought that Asian beauty here as my date? I would love to see the look on his face if I brought her here. Making him angry is fun for me and the thought of her on my arm is a major bonus.

_We are going to meet… That's all there is to it._


	10. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

**BOO KI'S POV:**

Aiming my camera at Sergio Dias, I take several shots while he makes his way to the stage. There is a lot of media here today for his speech so we blend in well with the crowd. Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin are also here somewhere taking video and more pictures. Sergio is a Senator running for President of Colombia and he always seems to say exactly what the people want to hear. His track record for doing what he says is mediocre... So he is just a typical politician.

Most of his family is on stage except for his youngest son, Alejandro. According to Ji-Hoo, there was some kind of falling out between him and Sergio. They very rarely contact each other. Even without his family though, he managed to build his own business from the ground up. He is a successful businessman with several popular restaurants, clubs, and hotels. He's very skilled at knowing how to attract foreigners into Colombia and has been a big influence in the increase of tourism to his country.

The oldest son, Miguel, is about as dirty as his father. One of the biggest and most ruthless drug lords in Colombia, he manages to always keep his tracks covered and his nose clean just enough to not be caught. Few know his secret thanks to his father. He keeps his son protected because he doesn't want to ruin his chances of winning the election.

His daughter Juliana is a spoiled snob that pretends to be sweet and cute in front of the camera but in reality she's a real bitch. His wife Sofia on the other hand seems to be a kind woman but since she was diagnosed with cancer last year, has remained mostly out of the spotlight.

I lift the camera to my eye again and take close shots of each family member for us to go over.

"Why would a beautiful foreigner like you need pictures of a pompous politician?" I hear someone say to me.

Turning around at the voice I look up at a stunning Colombian man. His short chocolate hair is spiked on top and I can see the muscles in his arms and chest straining against his black polo shirt. His tan skin accentuates his handsome Spanish features. Alejandro Dias is much more gorgeous in real life.

"I'm a photographer. If a job asks me to take pictures of a politician, I do it." I respond in Spanish.

He laughs and his mischievous smile almost blinds me. "And she speaks Spanish! You are a unique one aren't you?"

"So I've been told." I wryly smile back.

"My name is Alejandro. And you are?" He offers his hand and I shake it. His firm grip tells me a lot about him. He's strong, confident, and genuine.

"My name is Hong Se Na. I'm a photographer and human rights activist." I say. Thanks to Karen, I honestly do have a great cover story. I need to call her tonight and see how she's doing.

"Hong Se Na? So it's Se Na then, right? Where are you from?"

"Yes it's Se Na. I'm from South Korea."

"Wow! You're a long way from home then. I must confess I've seen you once before at a club last week. When I saw you again I had to come introduce myself."

"Ah so you're stalking me, is that it?" I joke. He chuckles and shakes his head.

"Not at all but I am happy to see you again. The guy you were with, is he your boyfriend?" He asks. Well at least he doesn't beat around the bush. I like a guy that can get straight to the point.

"No he's just a friend and one of my colleagues."

"That's good to know. How about we go grab a cup of coffee then? I know a great place just down the street. Then you can tell me all about yourself and South Korea. I'd love to hear all of it."

"…Sure. Let me just let the guys know where I'm going." I tell him. Usually I would turn down the offer but he is still Sergio's son. Our plan is to try to get close to the daughter but if it doesn't work out, Alejandro is a better choice than his brother. Miguel is too risky and I'm pretty sure he's had dealings with my family.

Pulling out my phone, I dial Woo Bin's number and hear his phone go off nearby. Looking around, I spot him making his way towards me with a serious look on his face. His sunglasses hide his eyes but I'm betting that he's irritated. My heart still jumps at the sight of him though. _Geez he's so damn hot..._

"What's going on?" He asks coldly in Korean and nods his head at Alejandro. He knows he doesn't understand Korean. He's just being rude for some reason.

"You guys can head back without me. I'm going to grab a cup of coffee. Do you want me to bring you back anything?" I respond in Spanish. Since he is being rude, I don't bother to introduce him.

"Why?" He asks in Korean and clenches his jaw.

"Because I want to." I respond in Spanish again, keeping my eyes locked with his. I won't back down so if he thinks he can get me to change my mind, he has another thing coming.

Ji-Hoo steps up beside him and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go Choi Young-ssi. She can fill us in later."

I turn my back on them and face Alejandro. "I'm very sorry about that. He's been grumpy all day. Shall we go?"

"Ladies first." He smiles and motions for me to take the lead. I can feel Woo Bin's eyes on me until we round the corner and are out of sight. Why does he have to be like this? I knew I shouldn't have teased him that night... Now I have to pay for it.

**(^_^)  
**  
**WOO BIN'S POV:**

_What the hell is she thinking going off with him like that? Is she trying to piss me off? ...because it's working._ I glower at them as they walk towards the street and around the corner.

"She must have a reason for going with him. Don't read too much into it." Ji-Hoo says.

"Oh really? What if Saia walked off with some guy? Would you be able to keep calm?"

"No." He says honestly. "But it's the guy I wouldn't trust. I trust Saia and you should trust Boo Ki too."

"I hope he does something stupid to piss her off so that she kicks his ass." I say in irritation.

"That wouldn't be wise and she knows that. Come on. Let's head back and analyze Sergio's security."

I reluctantly turn towards the car but check my phone to be sure the volume is up. If she calls, I want to know immediately. Ji-Hoo has the car keys and ignores my insistence that we follow her. He simply drives back to the house without a word.

Once we are inside, we check the video he took of the Senator's speech. He has unusually tight security for a man of his status. He may be running for President but none of the other candidates has nearly as many bodyguards as he does. I suspect that most of his security was provided by his oldest son. I'm sure the drug lord will do whatever it takes to protect his father and keep his name clean.

My mind wanders back to Boo Ki and I glance at my watch. _How long does she plan on staying with that guy anyways? Or for that matter, what if he does something to her?_ I grab my phone and dial her number but she doesn't pick up.

"There's no need to call me Woo Bin. I'm right here." She says as she walks in. She hands Ji-Hoo and I an iced coffee and sits down beside him at the computer. "Find anything interesting?"

"Yes. Sergio has more bodyguards than is necessary. I'm not sure if it's because he's trying to keep his secrets or if he's worried about what happened to the other Associates." Ji-Hoo says.

"It could be both." She says. "Even though we are using Tae Mu as a scapegoat, he may still be paranoid about getting caught since most of his other "friends" are in jail or dead."

"Why on earth did you go with him like that?" I interrupt. We can discuss that later. Right now I need to know what she was doing with that guy. _How could she do that to me?  
_  
She gives me an innocent look and blinks up at me. "He seems really nice."

"...Nice?" I say with a deadly calm. I feel ready to punch the shit out of the nearest wall.

"I have pretty good judgment when it comes to people. That's part of why you wanted me to work with you right? Alejandro is no threat to us. He barely speaks to his family. Whatever happened between him and his father has made him very resentful. His whole attitude towards his father and brother is genuine disgust. I'm pretty sure he knows what his father has done or at least knows something that he doesn't approve of."

"He told you that?" Ji-Hoo asks.

"No. I figured it out listening to him talk and watching his body language. They are still his family. I don't believe he wouldn't intentionally betray them. He just doesn't want anything to do with them."

"So then he's of no use to us and that still doesn't explain why you went with him." I say and take a step towards her.

"A handsome man invited me for coffee so I accepted. That's the closest thing to "normal" I've been able to do since I joined you two on this mission or whatever it is. I'm not going to apologize for it." She says. Her calm demeanor is getting on my nerves at the moment. Why does she always have to be so damn collected and in control?

"Woo Bin-ah..." Ji-Hoo days warningly. He knows I'm pissed and I'm guessing she probably does too. There are not very many people in this world that can make me lose my cool, yet this infuriating woman always manages to get under my skin.

"It's just coffee." She says with a shake of her head and turns to look at the computer screen. Sure, it's just coffee... So why do I feel like beating the crap out of that guy and shoving the entire coffee shop down his throat? _Because she should have gone with me... Not him._

**(^_^)**

**ALEJANDRO'S POV:**

Leaning against the rail of the balcony, I watch my niece and nephew play in the backyard. This is the first time I've been to my brother's house in a long time. I've missed the kids but I don't want to be here. I want to leave as soon as possible.

"Why do you never come over anymore? Still disgusted with me and dad? We are your family after all. You need to remember that."

"Just because we are family, doesn't mean I have to support you or even like you for that matter. I didn't choose to be born into this family. It just happened."

"You sure do act all high and mighty. You're too idealistic. We live in an imperfect world. You either accept it or drown in it."

"I've managed quite well on my own and I didn't have to break any laws to do it either."

Miguel laughs and shakes his head. "Yet I still have a lot more freedom and power than you little brother."

"At least I can go to bed with a clear conscience." I say in disgust and walk towards the door. Before I have time to react, my brother grabs me and slams me up against the wall.

"You need to learn some respect and loyalty. We are family. That means we do everything for each other no matter what the cost." He snarls in my face. Pushing him off of me, I refrain from knocking the shit out of him. He may be older than me but I'm a hell of a lot stronger. I have to be so that he can't just push me around like he did when we were younger. He's nothing more than a big bully. I'm not stupid though. Pissing him off would be a big mistake. He can still destroy my business and I won't lose everything just because he wants to be childish.

"So what exactly is it that you want from me Miguel? Do you have a point to make?"

"You need to mend things with dad. Show your support for him. You know he's worked hard for this. It's his dream to be President. We need to be there for him."

"If you want me to show up at functions and smile for the camera then fine. I'll do it. But don't ask me to understand anything that either of you two do or have done in the past. It won't happen." Turning away, I slam his front door in my anger and stalk towards my car. _That son-of-a-bitch wants me to accept that he and our father have murdered people to get what they want? Fuck that..._

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

I slink deeper into the shadows of the club and patiently wait for Maria. I'm not here for fun tonight. Woo Bin and Ji-Hoo should still be tailing Juliana so that gives me some time to work. No members of the Maeng family are here at the moment and it makes me curious. They have always had work in Bogota and it doesn't make sense for them to just leave. Something very big is going on. I can feel it.

"Good. You're here." Maria says with a nod as she sits down across from me.

"What have you heard?"

"There were quite a few members of the Maeng family still here up until a couple of months ago. Then they all pulled out without a word."

"Any idea why?"

"No. You know how secretive they are."

"Si. What about Sergio Dias?"

"He's dirty but you may have a hard time proving it. He and his son Miguel have hired the Maeng's on several occasions so that means no evidence. However, he has been laundering government funds. If we can find evidence of that, he will go to jail. It won't do you any good though if you don't bring down the son too. Miguel will just pay the right people and his father will walk away a free man."

"What about his involvement with politicians from other countries?"

"That's where it gets interesting. 4 years ago, Sergio almost lost his Senate seat to another candidate but the man was beaten to death by some thugs in Japan."

"Japan? Was he on vacation?"

"That's the strange part. Nobody, not even his family, knows what he was doing there. He never showed an interest in Asia and had never traveled outside of Colombia before. He just showed up dead in an alley in Tokyo two days before the election."

"How convenient…" I murmur.

"Exactly. They made up some story that he ran off with a lover but I don't believe it. Sergio would have had to have some help from someone in Japan's government to have it cleaned up so quickly. I doubt the authorities there would have let it go so easily otherwise."

"What about the rest of Sergio's family? Have you found anything useful?"

"Not really. Sofia is too sick these days to be active with anything. When she was healthy, she was involved in various orphanages around the city. I hear that her son Alejandro has taken over her charity work for now. Other than that, he's clean. He isn't involved with his family. Miguel is as dirty as drug lords come. He's arrogant and selfish just like the rest of them. Juliana is a cold-hearted, selfish bitch that is only interested in money. She's had her driver's license taken away for too many DUI's but other than that, she's clean on paper too. Miguel managed to cover up all of her petty theft charges."

Absorbing the information, I lean back in my seat. I need to plan my next move carefully. Miguel is dangerous and finding a way to bring him down without killing him will not be easy. I cannot control the corruption of countless government officials. If I get him arrested, it may not amount to anything. But I will only kill him if there is no other way.

Making my way home, I realize that the best shot for us getting close to Juliana is going to be Woo Bin. His Don Juan charm will easily work on her superficial personality. I know I could become her "friend" in time but catty bitches are harder to get close to when they think you are competition and I'm pretty sure that's how she will feel about me. The idea of him flirting with her makes me uncomfortable though.

It's late when I get home and the house is dark. Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin are probably not back yet. As I make my way down the hall, I can feel someone moving up quickly behind me and from the footsteps I can tell its Woo Bin. Ignoring him, I make my way towards my room when he suddenly grabs me and pushes me up against the wall. I can feel the anger radiating off of him. Right now he is very dangerous but for some reason it excites me. I can smell the alcohol on his breath as he dips his head closer to mine. I could easily break free but I'm frozen in place by the look in his eyes. They are filled with an unrecognizable emotion and it feels like I'm drowning in his gaze.

"Boo Ki-ah." he says seriously and crushes his mouth against mine.


	11. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

**WOO BIN'S POV: **

After a night of following Juliana around to various clubs, I am happy to be back at the house. I want to talk to Boo Ki. As we make our way inside though, the house is much too quiet. _She isn't here…_ Ji-Hoo goes straight to bed but I stay up to wait for her. Sitting in the dark, I feel myself grow angrier by the minute. _Did she go out with that guy? Where the hell is she? _Her phone is off and it's only irritating me even more. I am going to have to make it clear that she needs to have her damn phone on at all times. _It's too fucking dangerous, damn it!_ I don't think anything happened to her because the door was locked and the alarm was set. She obviously left on her own.

Hearing the front door open, I stand up and make my way towards her. Our flirting has been fun but I'm growing frustrated with it. I need more. I need her to remember that I am the one that wants her. I'm the one that cares for her and worries about her. Not that other guy. Grabbing her arm, I press her up against the wall and she looks up at me. She isn't surprised in the least by my actions and my frustration grows. She is always such a mystery to me. I want her to see me as more than just a friend and I want her to tell me all of the secrets she keeps locked behind her beautiful eyes.

"Boo Ki-ah." I say seriously and crush my mouth against hers. At first she puts her palms on my chest as if to push me away but when she doesn't, I tease and nip her upper lip. Her mouth is so soft but she isn't responding to me. My heart is starting to sink in disappointment and I bite her bottom lip in desperation. I feel her shiver beneath my hands and hear her sharp intake of breath. She feels something at least so why isn't she responding? I pull away to look at her and her eyes slowly open.

"You shouldn't be doing this." She whispers. "I don't want to lose you."

"Even if you don't feel the same way I do, you will never lose me Boo Ki-ah. I will always be here for you and I will destroy anyone that tries to hurt you no matter what. I'm not going anywhere. I just want… to be close to you." I tell her. For the first time, she gives me a look full of longing and hope but it doesn't last and I can feel her start to pull away from me again. Sliding a hand behind her neck, I tilt her head towards mine and kiss her again. I tease her mouth, begging her to respond to me and when she finally does I groan in pleasure. My heart leaps in my chest and I slide my arm around her waist to pull her closer. _Yes! At last!_

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

I should push him away but I can't. I don't respond to his demanding mouth because I'm torn. A part of me desperately wants to kiss him back but the other part is telling me to run. I can feel his desperation as his mouth begs me to respond to him. I shiver as he teases my bottom lip and I can no longer stand it. Sliding my hands behind his neck, I fiercely kiss him back and hear him groan in pleasure. This kiss is unlike any other I have ever experienced. I knew it would be like this but its intensity shakes me to the core of my being. I feel his tongue glide along my bottom lip, seeking entrance to my mouth. I hesitate for a moment but when I finally part my lips to welcome him, I moan when our tongues meet. My mind goes blank with the overwhelming pleasure. He is such a great kisser and I can feel my heart pounding with excitement as his hands roam along my back and my neck. Our demanding mouths battle each other for dominance and it's exciting. Neither of us is willing to give in to the other. He is fiery, playful, and passionate. They are things that have always drawn me to him.

A strange ringing noise is starting to penetrate through my hazy mind as we break the kiss for air. His teasing mouth nibbles on my jaw and my throat as he presses himself against me.

"Don't answer it." He whispers against my throat. Realizing that my phone is ringing, I stiffen in his arms and dig around in my purse for it.

"Boo Ki-ah… Don't." He groans in my ear and reaches for my arm. I pull away and glare at him but he only gives me a lopsided grin in response.

"Hello?" I say into the phone and press my palm against Woo Bin's chest to keep him away.

"Se Na? It's Alejandro. How are you?"

"I'm great and you?" I shake my head at Woo Bin as he quietly asks '_Who is it?'_

"I'm good. Listen, I'm sorry to be calling so late but my father is having a party tomorrow night and I was wondering if you would like to go with me? I know its short notice but I really hope you can come and keep me company."

"Sure! That would be great!" I say and nod my head. Woo Bin is watching me with a frown and tries to pull me closer but I finally push away from him completely so I can focus on the phone call.

"That's great! So …I'll pick you up at 7?"

"How about I meet you there instead? The people I am staying with are nosey. I don't want you to have to go through the third degree just to take me to a party." I say and watch Woo Bin's eyes narrow in irritation. Alejandro's infectious chuckle reaches my ear and I smile.

"Sure. I'll see you then. Good night."

"Good night." I hang up the phone and Woo Bin takes a step towards me.

"Who was that?" he asks.

"Alejandro Dias. He invited me to his father's party."

"We are already going. There is no need for you to go with him."

"It gives me a chance to get closer to Sergio and you don't want me to do it?"

"Juliana is our best chance to get close to him! Alejandro doesn't want anything to do with his father! You said so yourself! " he says in frustration.

"That doesn't mean he isn't involved with his family. You know as well as I do that we have to take down Miguel too. Alejandro is a good man. I enjoy talking to him and we get along great. And so what if he isn't close with his father! It doesn't mean he isn't useful to us! If you think Juliana will be such a huge help, then go after her then! Flirt with her! Dance with her! Use that Don Juan charm of yours! My chances of getting close to her are slim to none. You are the best choice!"

"After kissing me back you want me to seduce her?" He asks incredulously.

"See? This is why I knew that kissing you was a mistake because now you are going to let it get in the way of everything."

"I would just like to know what it is you are feeling Boo Ki-ah. I can't read your mind or your heart. I like you… very much but… do you like me back?" He asks quietly.

"Of course I do." I say nervously. "I wouldn't be friends with you if I didn't like you."

"That's not what I mean and you know it." He says and I can see that unknown emotion in his eyes again. It's scaring me and I back away from him.

"Boo Ki-ah, please… don't pull away from me." He says hoarsely and steps towards me. I panic when he tries to reach for me and turning on my heel, I quickly take the last few steps to my room and close the door behind me. Shaking, I sink to the floor with my back pressed against it.

"Boo Ki… Please… Just talk to me…" I hear him say as he softly knocks on my door. After several minutes, I finally hear him slowly walk away. Squeezing my eyes shut, I pull my knees up to my chest and rest my chin on them. _Why is he trying so hard?_

That scary look in his eyes is familiar… I've seen it before. Trying to pinpoint what it is, I think about the different emotions I've seen in people. _I've seen that look on Ji-Hoo's face before… _My heart practically stops at the thought. _Woo Bin was looking at me the way Ji-Hoo looks at Saia._

**(^_^)**

I didn't sleep much last night and left early this morning to try and locate another one of my old contacts. I trust Maria but I need someone that is involved in the drug trade. I want to know everything there is to know about Miguel Dias.

I only brought the essentials with me today and I'm dressed casually. I didn't bring a purse. Everything I need is tucked in my pockets. If I have to defend myself, I don't want anything in my way. Some of the locals watch me warily as I make my way through the marketplace. No tourists ever come here but most of the people just ignore me. I browse through the various stands and push my sunglasses higher up my nose. It's starting to get warm out as the sun rises higher in the sky. I feel my phone go off and pull it out of my pocket. It's Woo Bin. _No surprise there…_ I don't answer and he continues to call me.

"Where are you?" He finally texts me. I stare at his message for several minutes before shoving my phone back in my pocket without a reply. Honestly, I don't know what to say to him. I'm not exactly sure what it is that I want from him. I like him too. More than I have ever liked anyone. Even more than Sang Hee and I never thought that was possible. But Sang Hee betrayed me and broke my heart. I would rather keep Woo Bin as a friend and stay in his life for as long as possible, than to lose him to the foolish emotion of "love". That just isn't meant for me. He may think that he loves me now, but I know that even someone as accepting as Woo Bin will hate me in the end for who I am. I have done terrible things… things I will never forgive myself for. I was young and did what I was told but they still haunt me to this day. I wish I could go back and change it. I wish I could just be a simple restaurant manager, without the complicated past… But it isn't that easy.

I feel my phone go off again and pull it out, ready to turn it off but I hesitate when I see the name. Hitting the answer button, I press it to my ear.

"Si, Hyun Joong?" I ask. _It feels weird calling Ji-Hoo that… _

"…Are you alright?" his calm voice asks.

"Si, I'm fine. I'm just doing a little shopping. Do you need anything?" I speak to him in Spanish to blend in with the chattering voices around me but he responds to me in Korean.

"Ani. Why did you leave without telling us? You could have at least said something to **me**." He says pointedly and I hear Woo Bin protest in the background.

"Okay, well if you need anything just let me know." I say and hang up. I should have been nicer to Ji-Hoo but knowing that Woo Bin was close by put me in a bad mood. I'll apologize to Ji-Hoo later. Seconds after I hang up the phone, Woo Bin tries to call me again and I turn my phone off. I need time to think. I have to get my head back on straight before I can face him again.

Looking for a place to eat lunch, I finally spot the guy I've been looking for. Luis has been involved in the drug trade since we were kids because his father worked on one of the plantations. We first met when we were 11 years old. We get along really well and he helps me because we are friends. He never does that for anyone else. He's older now but I still recognize him and the scar that runs across his face is still there. He had pissed off his father when he was a boy and his father had swung at him with a knife. It makes Luis look intimidating but he is only mean when he has to be.

"Hello Luis. It's been a long time." I say to him in Spanish and smile up at him. He looks at me curiously and I pull off my sunglasses.

"…Oh my god! Look who it is! It's been such a long time! What are you doing here?" He says with a smile and pulls me into a hug.

"I'm here looking for you actually."

"I'm flattered that you still remember your old friend after all these years." He mockingly says and I give him a light punch in his stomach with my fist. He pretends to double over in pain and I laugh at him. He is in great shape as always and still a joker. He is like a brother to me much like Saia is like a sister to me. I really have missed him a lot. He rubs his stomach with a grimace and drapes an arm over my shoulder to guide me towards his car. "I see you still don't hold back your punches."

After we are in his car, he tells me about his wife and kids while we drive to our old favorite restaurant. I am glad to see him happy. He still lives a dangerous life but he deserves a bit of happiness.

"You disappeared. I was worried about you." He says after we order our food. I nod and sit back in my chair.

"I'm sorry about that. I wanted to contact you but it was too risky… I got out Luis."

"Seriously? Then why did you come back? Are you crazy? You know what will happen if they catch you."

"I have my reasons. I'll tell you everything when we have more time but I was wondering what you can tell me about Miguel Dias."

"Sure. What do you want to know?" He asks.

"Everything."

**A/N: To AC Wolf: Thank you so much for reading and I am very happy you like my stories! ^_^**

**To all of my readers: I am so sorry that I fell behind a few days on updating. I got busy with another story but I didn't forget about this one. ^_^ This chapter actually ran longer than I expected so I am already working on the next one. Lol. I hope everyone is doing well and thank you for reading! ^_^**

**Oh! And yes I did intentionally give a nod to Hyun Joong (the actor that plays Ji-Hoo) in this chapter. Ji-Hoo needs an alias too so why not? Haha! :P**


	12. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

After spending most of the day with Luis and his family, I'm still not ready to go back to the house. So his wife Anna lets me borrow some of her clothes and helps me get ready. I told Luis everything that happened to me since I last saw him and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. He's the first person I have been able to talk to about it outside of Saia and my Aunt. Just telling someone else makes me feel a little better. Plus Luis knows what my life was like.

"There is something else you should know. I don't get involved with your family but there is a rumor floating around that they got offered a lot of money for a job in Italy. Since one of the guys you are after happens to be there, I don't think it's a coincidence. Please be careful, Boo Ki. I want us to be able to watch our kids and grandkids play together someday." Luis says as he drops me off at the hotel.

"Don't worry. I will." I say with a smile and ignore the kids comment. I never thought about having kids because I don't plan on getting involved with someone. I guess that gives me my answer when it comes to Woo Bin. He probably wants the whole fairytale ending. He won't get it with me.

Seeing Alejandro, I smile and wave at him as he makes his way over to me.

"Wow! You look amazing!" He says with a smile and offers me his arm. He looks very handsome in his expensive black tux. The long strapless black dress I am wearing is accentuated with maroon beading in subtle leafy patterns along the skirt. Anna has great taste.

"Thank you! You don't look too bad yourself." I tease and he laughs.

"I am so glad you are here. I hate these parties. Everyone tries to show off and talk about the same shit over and over again."

"Well I have no reason to show off and since I don't know what people talk about here, I can promise I won't bring up the same topics… At least I hope I don't."

"I'm sure you won't." He says with a laugh and leads me inside. The party is being held at a hotel and the banquet hall is already full of people. I don't see Woo Bin or Ji-Hoo yet. I sent Ji-Hoo a text earlier, telling him that I was on my way here but I turned my phone on silent after that. I haven't looked at it since then.

The party is everything that I've come to expect from stuffy, rich people and Alejandro keeps his sarcastic remarks to himself till the people walk away.

"I am trying to be on my best behavior for my mother's sake but some of these people make it very hard." He says under his breath at me. Hiding my smile behind my champagne glass, I nod my head.

"I can understand why."

"Would you like to dance?" He asks and holds his hand out to me. I look up at him in surprise but nod. He's a great dancer and it's easy to move with him. Even though I am here for work, I realize that I am enjoying myself. Alejandro is funny and easy going. I feel at ease with him. Plus it doesn't hurt that he's so deliciously hot.

"Mind if I cut in?" I hear a voice say and Ji-Hoo holds his hand out to me. Alejandro lets me go with a reluctant smile and Ji-Hoo shyly pulls me into his arms.

"Is it okay for me to be dancing with my best friend's fiancé?" I ask with a smile. He chuckles and nods his head.

"I think she would be more upset if I didn't ask. What happened last night?" he bluntly asks. I love this about Ji-Hoo. The guy knows how to get right to the point.

"What did he tell you?" I counter.

"He told me enough to have a general idea but he's been unusually silent most of the day. I'd rather hear your side of things."

"…This really isn't the place to be talking about it…" I say. He nods.

"You look beautiful tonight."

"Thanks." I say with a smile and he looks at someone behind me as he lets me go.

My heart starts to pound as I turn to see Woo Bin standing behind me. He doesn't say anything but takes my hand and pulls me into his arms to dance with me. I swallow hard and look over his shoulder at the other people in the room but I don't notice any of it. My whole body is on high alert to everything about him. He smells wonderful, his hand on my back feels like it's burning through my dress, and his breath on my bare shoulder is threatening to send a shiver of pleasure down my spine. He's too quiet though. It's making me more nervous. He turns his head towards mine and I feel him breathe in my scent as he pulls me closer. I swallow hard and force myself to keep my composure. As the song comes to an end and he lets me go, I see that look in his eyes again and their intensity causes me to take a step back. I see the hurt in his eyes before he hides it. But he still manages to smile at me.

"You look as gorgeous as always." He says quietly and walks away.

"Is everything alright?" Alejandro asks by my shoulder. He looks at me in concern before giving Woo Bin's retreating back a suspicious look.

"Yes. Everything's fine. We had a disagreement earlier and we haven't talked about it yet so dancing with him was awkward." I say smoothly and take his arm. He nods and accepts my explanation without another word. I spend the rest of the night at his side, pushing all thoughts of Woo Bin away for now. I dance and laugh with Alejandro, completely oblivious to the jealous and hurt pair of eyes that watch us.

**(^_^)**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

I understand why she left so early this morning. I saw the flash of fear in her eyes before she went in her room. She's afraid for some reason. I get it. What bothers me is that she doesn't even tell us where she is or what she is doing and it's all my fault. When I went to talk to her after I woke up and realized she was gone, I panicked. She needs to let me explain. She has no reason to be afraid of me. I won't hurt her.

Ji-Hoo calls her himself when he realizes she isn't answering me. When she hangs up on him, I tell him what happened. I spend the rest of the day going through files and thinking about last night. I want to understand her. I really do. It hurts though when she pushes me away and is afraid of me. I know that's why she hasn't come home yet. She doesn't want to face me. Ji-Hoo has been concerned about both of us all day but I don't feel like talking. I don't know what to tell him. I am completely lost with Boo Ki. Even though our kiss had been the most amazing kiss I have ever experienced, I am starting to regret it because I don't want to lose her. She warned me but I didn't listen. I was too angry and wanted to taste her too badly.

The moment I see her at the Senator's party, I can't breathe. She looks gorgeous. I have a hard time paying attention to Sergio because I keep watching her. Ji-Hoo is doing most of the work tonight and I finally manage to force myself to talk to some of the people here about the Senator. But when I see Ji-Hoo dancing with her, I know that this is my chance to be near her.

Dancing with Boo Ki is heaven. She feels so good in my arms. I can feel how tense she is and keep quiet. I don't want to make things worse. As the song comes to an end, it tears me apart when she takes a wary step away from me. Plastering a smile on my face, I shove my hands into my pockets in frustration.

"You look as gorgeous as always." I honestly say and force myself to walk away. _Not here… not now… _I tell myself. I need to talk to her at home. This isn't the place. But when I see her dance and laugh with Alejandro, I can't stop the jealousy that rolls through my gut. _Why can't she do that with me? _

"I don't remember seeing you around before." A woman's voice purrs in my ear and I turn to see a very sultry looking Juliana Dias smile up at me.

"I haven't been in town very long." I say with a smirk. I smile and flirt with her until Miguel comes to take her tipsy ass home. It's actually a relief. I've had to force myself to be charming to her because there isn't a thing about her that I like. She reminds me a lot of the snobby bitches I used to party with at home. It's funny how much Boo Ki has changed me in such a short amount of time. All I can see is her.

**(^_^)**

**JI-HOO'S POV:**

It's been a long day. This whole mess between Woo Bin and Boo Ki is a problem. Woo Bin isn't his usual playful and focused self. He's confused and the fact that Boo Ki avoided us all day is making it harder to do our job. Thankfully Alejandro seems to have taken an interest in Boo Ki and Juliana in Woo Bin so at least we have a way to get close to Sergio one way or another. My biggest worry though is Miguel. That guy is one mean bastard. No one can touch him and he knows it. So far, I don't see any way to bring him down. All night I've listened to him harass people into voting for his father. He isn't afraid of anyone. It disgusts me to hear him threaten families and children. He doesn't care about anything except what he wants.

Once Woo Bin and I return home, I gratefully drag myself to my room and tug at my tie. Saia hates it when I wear ties. She always pulls it loose if I wear one. I don't think she would have minded tonight though since I wore a tux. Closing my door, I slump down on the bed and stare at my cell phone. I haven't called her since we left New York because I miss her too much. It sounds kind of crazy but I know that if I call her too soon, I will be on the first flight back to Seoul.

Dialing DK's number, I wait for him to answer and when it goes to voicemail I frown. I dial again but there's still no answer. This doesn't make any sense. DK always keeps his phone on him. What on earth is going on? We agreed it was safer to call him to talk to her because we know she is still being watched. But I am willing to risk calling her to be sure that she is safe. After the fourth try to DK, I dial her number.

"Yobosayeo?" I hear Jae Kyung say. I freeze and keep silent. I can hear noises from a hospital in the background along with voices. It sounds like Jun Pyo and Jan Di are arguing again.

"Ya! If you have something to say then say it!" Jae Kyung says irritably.

"May I speak with Saia please?" I ask after I clear my throat. I hope she doesn't recognize my voice but what are they doing at a hospital and why is Saia not answering her damn phone?

"Ah… She's kinda busy at the moment…" Jae Kyung says.

"Who is it?" I hear Saia say in the background and breathe a sigh of relief. At least she sounds alright.

"Who is this?" Jae Kyung demands.

"Tell her it's Kim Hyun Joong." I say in amusement.

"He says it's Hyung Jun or something. Who's that? Do you have a new guy?" She shouts at Saia.

"Give me that!" Saia says in exasperation. I wait patiently and hear the voices of my friends gradually grow quieter as Saia moves away from them.

"I am so sorry about that. I never thought you would call me." Saia says.

"You don't have much confidence in your fiancé do you?" I tease.

"You know that isn't true." She says with a smile.

"What's going on? Why isn't DK answering his phone?"

"Where's your phone?" I hear her ask him. After a second she answers me. "He must have left it in the car. He doesn't have it. As for what's going on, Ga Eul went into labor last night and we all came to visit her. I was holding the baby so I couldn't answer my phone."

"Really? That's wonderful! Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Boy. They named him Min Jae. He's so adorable! I wish you could see him!"

"So do I and Woo Bin will be happy to hear the news. He sure could use it right now." I say and massage my temple.

"Why? What happened?"

I tell her everything that happened between the two of them and how Boo Ki acted all day.

"Shit… Nothing is ever easy with those two is it?" She says with a sigh.

"No. I honestly don't know what to do. It isn't my place to get involved but it's starting to affect our work. This is the worst place for us to make mistakes and we will if this keeps up."

"Se Ne wasn't idle today, I guarantee that. She may have needed space but she will keep her mind on the game. I agree though that it is affecting your work. Will Choi Young snap out of it?" She asks. I wish we could just talk normally without using our aliases. It's only adding to my frustrations for the day. I want to go home without having to look over my shoulder or wonder if the people I love are safe. I want to marry Saia and be able to see or talk to her whenever I want without having to watch what I say.

"Ji-Hoo?" I hear her softly say when I don't answer. "Tae Mu's trial starts Monday. We can't charge him with your "deaths" because when you come home, he could use it to get out of jail. Jun Pyo is furious about that but we've convinced him that there isn't any evidence to prove Tae Mu did it. But if you were to come back alive, it may scare them into leaving us alone. Why don't you all just come home?"

It's very tempting. It would be so nice to just walk away and finally end this whole thing… But something about Angiolo Botticelli has Woo Bin spooked. He keeps saying he will tell me when he's able to confirm it and it makes me uneasy. Woo Bin usually doesn't keep things from me anymore. His broken engagement to Jae Kyung was understandable. He was embarrassed about the whole thing. The fact he doesn't want to tell me yet is proof that it's something bad.

"…No." I finally say with a resigned sigh. "We have to finish this. God… I just want to knock some sense into Woo Bin & Boo Ki so that we can hurry up and get this over with."

"Now you sound more like the man I know and love." She says gently. I smile and rub my face tiredly. "I loved the flowers you sent last week. Thank you!"

"You're welcome. You didn't think I would forget did you?" I tease.

"No. But I didn't expect that. They were beautiful. I can't believe it's already been a year! It feels like we just met yesterday but it feels like I've known you forever. Does that make any sense?" She asks with a laugh.

"Yes. I understand what you mean." I chuckle.

"…Listen. I know that you don't know much about "Se Na" but… she knows what she's doing when it comes to your work. She won't do anything without a good reason no matter how insane it may seem. I hope you trust her."

"I do. She has good judgment but… I know there's more that you aren't telling me. What is it?"

"I'm sorry… but I can't tell you. It isn't my place to say and I made a promise to her. She will have to tell you herself."

"Okay. I understand."

**(^_^)**

**ALEJANDRO'S POV:**

"Who was that guy?" Miguel asks Juliana. After I dropped off Se Na, I came home to check on mother. I know that nights like this are hard on her physically. I didn't expect to find Miguel giving our sister the third degree.

"He's just some guy. Why do you care?"

"He looks Asian. I don't want you anywhere near him."

"God, I knew you were a pig but when did you become such a racist too? I've seen you dealing with Asians before. What's the big deal?" She sneers. He angrily grabs her arm and she yelps in pain.

"Yes I have and that's exactly why I want you to stay away! You don't know anything about him!" He snarl's at her.

"Let go of her Miguel." I warn him.

"Stay out of this!" He snaps at me. Grabbing his hand I pry it off of her arm and I can already see the bruises forming.

"Go check on mom." I quietly tell her. She nods wide-eyed at me and walks away. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm looking out for my sister which is more than I can say for you." He growls at me. "What if he's one of them? Do you want something to happen to her?"

"He isn't one of them. He's just a photographer. Besides, whose fault is it that dad got involved with the Maeng family? You have been playing a dangerous game with them for years. Whatever happens is on you."

Miguel clenches his jaw but walks away from me without a fight. He knows I'm right and he's scared. _He's a fucking fool…_

**A/N: To my unnamed guest: Thank you for your review! I am thrilled you like my stories! ^^ I try to think them all through very carefully before I write. **

**To all my readers: I try to reply to all of your reviews through PM if I can. If I ever missed anybody, I am so sorry. All of you are important to me, including my silent readers. I can never say thank you enough. ^_^**


	13. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

"So what do you think?" Alejandro asks.

"It's impressive!" I say honestly. I'm also a little envious. This new restaurant of his is amazing. It's outside on the roof of one of his Hotels. All of his employees smile at him and he greets them warmly. He seems to be an amazing boss. It makes me miss my job at home. The owner of the restaurant I work for isn't really involved much. He trusts me and it gives me free-reign to make it as successful as I can. I can see that Alejandro has the complete trust and respect of his employees just like I do with my employees.

It amazes me how different he is from his family. It's yet another thing we have in common. This past week since the party, I have spent every day with him and I have come to realize what an amazing man he is. He's funny, smart, handsome, and he has high moral standards. I'm convinced that the reason he doesn't get along with his father and brother is because he knows what they have done.

"How is the food?" Alejandro asks as we chat over dinner.

"It's delicious!" I say and he smiles broadly at me.

"I'm glad you like it. Se Na… I know this may sound kind of forward but… I was wondering…" he looks around nervously and sets his silverware down. He has never been like this before. He is always so confident.

"Si? What is it?" I ask curiously.

"I have to go to Cartagena in a few days for the grand opening of my new restaurant and I was wondering if you would accompany me?" By the end of his rushed sentence, his cheeks have grown a bright shade of pink. _He is very cute…_ But his question surprises me. Going to Cartagena would help me locate one of my contacts close to my family and I could possibly find out what is going on in Italy. Going with Alejandro however means that he probably wants to sleep with me. I do like him but I don't want to hurt him.

"Alejandro…"

"I'm not expecting anything. We will have separate rooms. I'll be the perfect gentleman." He says it so sincerely that I can't help but laugh.

"Well as long as you don't try to grab my ass or anything, sure. Why not?" I say.

"Unless you want me to grab your ass. I'll be happy to volunteer." He says mischievously.

We laugh and tease each other throughout the night and as he drives me home, I realize that when I am around him, I forget all the bad things going on in my life. I must admit, that sleeping with him would probably be amazing but I know that his heart is getting involved and I can't do that to him.

_Plus there's… __**him. **_As I enter the front door, I watch Woo Bin stand up from his chair to look at me. It's been a week since the party and we have hardly spoken to each other. He's grown so serious. It's weird and I don't like it but… I don't want to give him false hope. Even though I long to wrap my arms around him and kiss him senseless, to explore every inch of his skin, and feel his body pressed against mine I can never let it happen.

I will admit that I hate seeing him flirt with Juliana. I hide it well but I wish he didn't have to. I guess it's only fair though since I am flirting with Alejandro.

"Did you have a good night?" Ji-Hoo asks.

"Yes. It was nice. He asked me to go to Cartagena with him in a few days. We shouldn't be gone very long."

"…What? You're going with him?" Woo Bin asks. His face looks stormy and I head for my room. I don't want to argue with him tonight.

"Yes I am." I say and hear his rapid footsteps behind me before he grabs my arm.

"You aren't stupid. You know what this means. He wants to sleep with you."

"Maybe he does and maybe he doesn't. Either way, he trusts me more and more every day. I'm hoping to visit his father very soon. Besides, I like Alejandro. He's fun to be around and he doesn't lecture me." I say calmly. Woo Bin clenches his jaw and he's angry. I can't bear to look at the hurt in his eyes though and try to turn away. He grabs my other arm and forces me to face him. I let him because I feel a little guilty for lying to him.

"You don't have to do this! We never once asked you to do this! It's going too far!" He says desperately.

"It's just sex Woo Bin." I say quietly.

"It isn't just sex to me!"

"That's rich coming from the Don Juan of South Korea!" I scoff and he tightens his grip on my arms.

"I'm not like that anymore and if you want sex that badly, I am more than willing to offer my services but you can't sleep with him. I won't allow it!" he says hotly and gives me a rough shake. That was the wrong thing to say to me and I feel my anger rising to the surface.

"Woo Bin-ah." Ji-Hoo says warningly.

Breaking free of Woo Bin's grasp, I place myself as close to him as I can without touching him and glare furiously into his eyes.

"I don't belong to you or to anybody else. You cannot tell me what to do." I say coldly.

"Ani I don't own you but I am still responsible for you since I asked you to come with us. I cannot let you go this far. There are other ways to go about this."

"Cut the crap! The only reason you are upset is because you are jealous. If you were really only concerned about "responsibility" you would just make sure I'm safe."

"I don't like it either Boo Ki-ah." Ji-Hoo says. "Woo Bin may be angry because of how he feels but I am concerned about you as a friend. I don't want you to do this."

Finally breaking my gaze from Woo Bin I turn to Ji-Hoo. "I never said I would sleep with Alejandro. Woo Bin jumped to conclusions. As for whether or not I do, that is my choice and none of your business."

Keeping my face as cold as possible, I turn away from them and go to my room, closing the door behind me. I hear the front door slam as I sink to the floor and bury my face in my hands. _What am I doing?_

**(^_^)**

**SAIA'S POV:**

Hiding my smile, I turn my back to where DK and Jae Kyung are talking animatedly to each other. They seem to be getting pretty close lately. I suspect the only reason she came was so she could talk to DK. She told me that she doesn't like guns. Jun Pyo and Yi Jung asked me to come to the shooting range today and when I mentioned it to her, she eagerly asked if she could come watch.

"Are you ready?" Yi Jung asks with a smile and hands me the rifle. They seem anxious to teach me and I suspect that this is yet another activity they shared with Ji-Hoo. Little do they know that Boo Ki and her Aunt already taught me how to shoot a rifle along with several other types of guns.

Taking the rifle from Yi Jung I take up my position at the railing and smile at the two handsome Chaebols. "Honestly guys, you really don't have to teach me."

"You never know unless you try it! You may like it!" Jun Pyo says as Yi Jung starts instructing me on how to hold the gun.

"That's not what I meant. I already know how to shoot." I murmur and their eyes widen in surprise as they stare at me.

"You are always full of surprises Saia-ssi." Yi Jung says with a chuckle.

"That's what Ji-Hoo always says." I say with a laugh and immediately regret it as I see their faces darken with grief.

"Ya! None of that! How about we make this interesting? Whoever misses the most targets has to buy lunch. Arasso?" I say, trying to distract them. They nod their heads sadly and Jun Pyo shoves his sunglasses on his face to hide his watery eyes.

As we sit down to lunch, I talk about anything and everything that I can to lift their spirits. I purposefully missed more targets just so I could buy them lunch. I still feel bad about my careless words. I need to be more careful about what I say around them. Jae Kyung is a helpful distraction since Jun Pyo seems to enjoy harassing her. Plus they are also business partners since Jae Kyung started taking over more responsibilities for the JK Group.

"You still miss him don't you?" Yi Jung asks me quietly as Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung discuss a business contract.

"I do. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him." I say honestly.

"You seem to be handling it better. How are you able to do it?"

"I remember how much he loves me, as cheesy as that sounds. He wouldn't want me to drown myself in grief."

"Ani. He wouldn't want that. Neither of them would." He says quietly and stares at his empty wine glass.

"You miss Woo Bin a lot don't you?" I ask.

"Yes I do. Especially since Min Jae was born but I realize just how much I miss Ji-Hoo too. Woo Bin and I were very close but Ji-Hoo and I… We had a disagreement once and I never fully forgave him for it. Our friendship was never the same after that. I deeply regret not talking to him about it."

"What was it about, if you don't mind me asking?"

"…Jun Pyo and Ji-Hoo both liked Jan Di when we were in high school. Did you know that?" he asked me. I shook my head in surprise.

"To make a very long story short, Ji-Hoo kissed Jan Di after Jun Pyo and her started officially dating. Trying to take a friend's girl isn't right in my book. Even though he made it up to Jun Pyo and helped them be together, I couldn't forgive him for it."

"Have you forgiven him? Or do you just regret not telling him that you forgive him?"

"…What?"

"I mean, if you have truly forgiven him then I understand your regret in not saying anything but if you simply wish you told him for your own piece of mind, then that's kind of pointless. You didn't say anything after all these years would it really make a difference?"

"It's scary sometimes how much you can be like him, you know that?" Yi Jung says with a chuckle but then looks at me seriously. "I forgave him a long time ago. I just wish I had told him that."

I smile at him and squeeze his arm. I wish I could do more. It will be such a shock to these two when Woo Bin and Ji-Hoo return. I don't know how they will take it. They will both be very hurt that they were not told about what is going on. I hope the friendship between the four of them survives this.

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

Cartagena is amazing. I've always loved it here. We arrived yesterday and have had so much fun so far. True to his word, Alejandro has been the perfect gentleman and has been eager to listen to my insight on his new restaurant. The grand opening is tomorrow and I have been helping him with every little detail that I can. I'm very envious though. I wish I could be a part of it. To work at a restaurant here is like my dream job.

Tonight we are going to a club that Alejandro owns to celebrate and I secure the bracelet with my family's crest on it to my wrist. The likelihood that Alejandro knows what it means is near impossible. He wouldn't be involved with anyone like them. I just hope I can locate my contact tonight. I spent last night searching my old hangouts after Alejandro went to bed and didn't recognize anybody. I am running out of time.

Once we reach the club, we are escorted to a VIP booth with an amazing view. You can see every part of the club from here. It's an amazing place. Alejandro has amazing taste as always.

I absent-mindedly push my hair behind my ear and suddenly feel an iron grip on my wrist. Looking up, my heart starts to pound in alarm as I see Alejandro staring at the crest on my bracelet. His expression is hard as he slowly raises his gaze to meet mine and I feel regret as I see cold hatred in his eyes.

"…Who are you really 'Hong Se Na'?"


	14. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

"Alejandro, this isn't what you think-"

"What is it then?" He cuts me off angrily. "Who sent you? I have nothing to do with my father or my brother's business dealings. Whatever you are after you won't get it from me! If you are here to kill me then just get it over with!"

"Alejandro, I am not a part of the Maeng family anymore."

"Is that so?" He asks bitterly. "Then why are you wearing this damn thing?"

"I am using their resources." I say calmly and he lets go of my arm. He still doesn't believe me and I hate seeing the hurt in his eyes.

"Are you using me too?"

"Yes and no. I left this life behind 7 years ago but then your father along with some people he is associated with tried to kill my best friend and people I care about. I won't let him try it again."

Alejandro pales at my words and runs a shaking hand through his hair. "He did that? But what does this have to do with me?"

"You're still his son. I needed to get close to him. I won't hurt you. You've done nothing wrong and for what it's worth, I do like you a lot. I won't let anything bad happen to you." I say sincerely. I pray he believes me. His friendship means a lot to me and I don't make friends very easily.

He turns away from me and sits down. Leaning his elbows on his knees, he rubs his face with his hands before looking up at me again.

"Why should I believe you?" he asks quietly.

"Honestly you shouldn't. Whether I like it or not, I can't change who my family is. They have done unforgiveable things. I… have done unforgiveable things." I say quietly and look down at my feet in shame. "I couldn't live with it. That's why I left. All I can ask is that you trust your gut. You have good instincts and good judgment."

"Do I?" He asks bitterly. "I never saw you for what you really are. I believed every word you said."

"That's because the only things I lied to you about was my name and what I do."

He searches my eyes for several minutes and I hold his gaze. I now have nothing to hide from him. Any questions he has for me I will answer him honestly. I feel I owe him that much at least.

"How do you know about the Maeng family?" I ask. It's his turn to look uncomfortable and he looks away.

"I caught Miguel speaking to one of them once. I don't usually listen in like that but the things I overheard them talking about were horrible. I couldn't believe my brother had really become so evil. I confronted him about it and he told me to stay out of it. That was the day I finally washed my hands of him. I was afraid that my father was involved with them too so I snuck into his study one night and hacked his computer. The things he's done… They are both terrible people." He looks at me with haunted eyes and I kneel in front of him, covering his hands with my own.

"I understand that feeling. I am so sorry for lying to you Alejandro. It wasn't fair to you especially since I know what kind of person you are. You don't deserve to be dragged into this." I stand up to leave but he grabs my wrist.

"Why did my father and his associates try to kill your best friend?"

"Her father worked for them. They felt she was a liability and once my other friends began to uncover their corruption, they tried to kill them too. Those men and your father will try it again. I have to protect the people I love."

"They didn't send the Maeng's after them? I mean if they had, your friends would have already been dead."

"My family would never agree to that job because it would have drawn too much attention. The most important thing to them is secrecy and my friends are in the public eye every day."

"I see. What will happen if your family does kill them?" He asks quietly.

"Then I will be living every day with only one purpose: to completely destroy them." I say coldly. He nods and searches my face. He seems calmer now but his eyes are still tinted with fear and uncertainty.

"What are you going to do to my father?" he asks.

"I am going to bring him down along with your brother. You know them well enough that I'm sure you realize Miguel will try to help him. I have to stop both of them."

Alejandro swallows hard and nods. "I understand. They both need to take responsibility for their crimes but… will you kill them?"

"I don't know." I reply honestly.

"If I help you, will you promise me not to kill them? They are still my family. I want the law to pass judgment on them and I want them to go to jail but I don't want them dead. Plus it would destroy my mother. She is already fragile enough as it is."

"I can only promise that I won't kill them unless it's in self-defense." I say quietly. He nods and looks down at our intertwined hands.

"I understand… That's fair. So… what is your real name?" He asks. I hesitate for a moment but I know I can trust him and for the first time in 7 years, I introduce myself with my real name.

"My name is Maeng Boo Ki."

"Boo Ki… It's very pretty. I'm Alejandro Dias. It's nice to meet you." He says and gives me a tired smile.

"It's nice to meet you too." I say and squeeze his hand.

"Are the two guys that are with you a part of this too?"

"Yes but they don't know about my past. I don't want them to know."

"Why? Are you ashamed? I mean, you should be proud that you walked away from that life."

"My family thinks I am dead and anybody that knows the truth will be in danger. That includes you." I say with concern. He nods and keeps his eyes locked with mine.

"It's not like my life isn't in danger already thanks to my brother and father. I refuse to be afraid and become a slave to that fear. We all die someday right?"

"Si. We do."

"Don't worry. I'll keep your secret. I'm very sorry for what my family has put you through. There are times when I often wish I was adopted. It sickens me to think that the same blood runs through my veins."

"I know the feeling but you don't have to apologize for them." I say and stand up to look out at the dance floor.

"So I'm guessing you are wearing that bracelet to find someone tonight?"

"That's the plan. It's someone that could give me information on the whereabouts of my family. They are up to something big and I want to know what it is."

Alejandro stands up beside me and nods his head. "Okay then. How can I help?"

As I look up at him, I can see that I have somehow managed to earn back his trust. I'm not sure how but I feel a lump in my throat as my heart swells with gratitude.

"Thank you." I say quietly and he shrugs his shoulders.

"No need to thank me. I want to help you and you already know that I like you." He says and brushes my cheek with the back of his hand. "I should be thanking you for not killing my father and brother already. It makes me happy that you trust me enough to be honest with me."

"So you're not afraid of me?" I ask mischievously.

"Are you kidding? I've been afraid of you from the moment I laid eyes on you because you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Since then, I have discovered how amazing you are on the inside as well and now tonight I find out you are also a deadly assassin. Honey, I am shaking in my shoes." He says with a laugh. "But you're well worth the risk."

**(^_^)**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

I find it funny that after all the time I have spent in clubs and bars over the years, that it's now when I need to be here the most that I would rather be anywhere else. Juliana is so superficial and fake that I wonder if she even knows who she really is inside. She isn't happy, that much is obvious. She tries to drown herself in booze, sex, and most recently cocaine.

I've grown tired of her throwing herself at me but the more I resist the more interested in me she becomes. She is a girl that isn't used to being told no.

I miss Boo Ki. It's been two days and I'm anxious for her to come back. My heart aches with the thought of her sleeping with Alejandro. I pray that she doesn't. I wish she would just tell me what she is trying to protect me from. I know that I said I wouldn't try to dig into her past but she isn't leaving me with many options.

"What's on your mind sexy? You seem distracted tonight." Juliana asks and nibbles my ear. We have a private booth with some of her friends who have managed to find their men for the night. They really should just move their fun to a hotel room.

"I just have a lot on my mind tonight and I'm not really in the mood to be here." I say coldly. She gives me a wicked smile and her hand starts rubbing the inside of my thigh.

"Well we can always go someplace else, someplace more private." She whispers and presses her chest harder against me. It takes every ounce of my self-control to not push her away from me in disgust and anger. I already know that I'm not doing a very good job at hiding my distaste in her company. I have a job to do but I want nothing to do with Juliana. Forcing a sexy smirk on my face, I look down at her and untangle her arms from around my waist.

"As much as I would really enjoy that-" I start to say but she cuts me off by crushing her mouth to mine. I respond to her half-heartedly and after a reasonable amount of time I break the kiss. "I'm going home. Stay and have fun."

"Are you trying to play hard to get? Why are you resisting? You know you want to." She says as she grabs my arm to stop me from leaving. I shrug her arm off of me and give her a cold smirk over my shoulder.

"I already told you. I'm not in the mood tonight." I tell her and walk away.

As I make my way towards the exit of the club, I keep my eye on the guy that has been following me since the night of the Senator's party. I haven't told Ji-Hoo or Boo Ki about it yet because I am not exactly sure who this idiot is working for. I've been ignoring him so that I don't arouse his suspicion but he's really starting to get on my nerves. I see him everywhere I go. It's possible that Juliana's father or brother want to keep an eye on me because of her. I would do the same thing for my sisters. I don't think they realize who I really am. Nobody has been following Ji-Hoo and I don't think Boo Ki is being followed. It's just me.

I've been a little on edge lately and Ji-Hoo has been concerned about me. Part of it is because of Boo Ki but the other part is because of Angiolo Botticelli. That sneaky bastard has been doing everything in his power to keep his ass covered. How the hell he managed to convince the Maeng family to help him is beyond me. I can only suspect that he must have something they want.

Once I make it outside the club, I take a deep breath and look up at the night sky. The longer I am away from home, the more I miss it. I miss Yi Jung & Jun Pyo, I miss my family, and sadly enough I miss my bed. Having Ji-Hoo and Boo Ki here has made it a little easier but I look forward to going home. It will be nice to be called by my real name and be able to be myself again. I'm frustrated that I missed Min Jae's birth. I know that Yi Jung would have wanted me there.

Still deep in thought, I turn towards my car when someone bumps into my shoulder. Even though I wasn't really paying much attention to my surroundings, I knew that this guy did it on purpose. I glare at him over my shoulder and he glares back at me. I know that he wants to pick a fight with me and as great as beating the shit out of him would make me feel, I can't afford to draw any attention to myself at the moment. So I turn away from him.

"Hey! Where do you think you are going? Don't you think you owe me an apology?" the man snarls and grabs my arm. I jerk my arm out of his grip and turn to face him. I've seen him before. He's one of Miguel's thugs. If I don't keep my temper in check, this could end badly but my patience is already paper thin and I've hit my limit.

"I'm sorry that you weren't paying attention to where you were going." I say calmly and give him a smirk.

"Look at this asshole. He thinks he can disrespect me." He says to his friends who "magically" show up at the most convenient moment. He takes a step towards me and I can feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins in excitement. _I'm looking forward to this._

"What's going on?" Juliana asks as she rushes up to us. I had been so focused on this idiot that I hadn't even noticed that she came out here. She looks at him and steps in between us. "Carlos what are you doing?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about Miss Dias. I was just going to teach this bastard some manners." He says and takes another step towards me.

"No! Leave him alone! I mean it!" she says.

"Thanks Jules but I don't need protection." I darkly tell her.

"Just go home Choi Young. Please? For me? I'll take care of these morons."

I clench my jaw in disappointment but give her a curt nod. As badly as I want this fight, it isn't a good idea.

"I'll be seeing you around pretty boy." Carlos sneers at me.

"I look forward to it." I say with a cold chuckle and walk away.

**A/N: Oh boy! It's starting to get exciting! Haha! I am a silly author! :P I get excited over my own plots. Lol. I can't help it though. I know what's coming up and it's going to be scary/exciting and a little sad! How's that for a tease? :P Lol. Thanks for reading, everyone! ^_^**

**To WooKi fan: ****Thank you so much for your review. I'm glad you are enjoying the story. I still have plenty of twists and turns planned so I hope you are looking forward to it. ^_^**


	15. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

**MIGUEL'S POV:**

As I slowly walk around the bound and beaten man on the chair, my frustrations continue to rise. After hours of torture he has yet to tell me who he works for. I'm not stupid. I know he isn't who he claims to be. I keep my men from going too far in his interrogation until I get some answers. If he works for the Maeng family, I may be able to use him as a bargaining chip.

"Let me guess. You're trying to decide whether or not to kill me in case you can use me for something?" The man says with a weak chuckle. It amazes me that he is still so composed after the beatings he has taken. It only raises my suspicions that he is a part of them. He's obviously been trained to take it.

"So what should I do with you then? You won't give me the answers I want and you won't stay away from my sister. If you were in my shoes, what would you do?" I ask him with a smirk. I press the tip of my gun against his temple to intimidate him but I see no fear in his eyes.

"I would never be in the shoes of such a weak and pathetic man as you. You're nothing more than a low-life thug." He says in disgust. My blood boils at his words and I shoot him in the leg in my anger. He throws his head back in pain and starts cursing in his native tongue.

"I'M PATHETIC? I'M A THUG? I have money, power, and I'm the one holding the gun while you are strapped to that chair! Your life is in my hands! You should learn some respect!" I angrily shout at him. As he lowers his head, I smirk as I wait for him to plead for his life but when he opens his eyes, my blood runs cold. Pure hate and bloodlust fills his gaze as he glares at me from his bruised face.

"Listen well you son-of-a-bitch. You think that there isn't a price for your dealings with the Maeng family? Yes you paid them money but you still owe them. You will always owe them to keep your fucking secrets. You have dug your own grave and you better pray that I don't get to you first because I am going to make sure you suffer before I kill you." He snarls.

His words chill me to the bone as I turn around and signal my men to follow me out of the room. Shooting him has only turned him into an angry tiger and even though he's bound & wounded, I can't stop my heart from pounding in fear. I need to contact the Maeng's. I need to make some sort of deal with them before this gets any worse.

All I wanted was for this man to stay away from my sister. I thought that I could just scare him a bit and he'd leave. Even I am not stupid enough to kill him. If he is with the Maeng's then killing him would bring about the destruction of my entire family. I won't take that chance.

But my plan has still failed miserably.

"Tighten security around my family. Make sure that no one gets anywhere close to them." I tell one of my men. "And get someone to take care of that bastard's wound. I need to keep him alive."

"Yes boss." They say and run off.

_Damn it. What have I done?_

**(^_^)**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

_The mother fucker shot me god damn it! _My leg throbs in pain and my composure has snapped. I haven't been this angry in a very long time. He's made a mistake in shooting me and he knows it. I can see the fear in his eyes as he turns away from me. I will make him pay for this.

As soon as Miguel leaves the room with his men, I quickly let the anger drain away to try and slow my heart rate. I need to slow my blood flow so that I don't lose too much blood from the wound.

How the hell did things turn out this way? I doubt anyone knows where I am and even though Ji-Hoo is a good fighter, he won't be able to rescue me by himself. Miguel's house is a fortified compound. He's a typical big shot drug dealer...

I should have listened to Ji-Hoo and stayed home tonight but I just couldn't sit still at home knowing that Boo Ki is coming back tomorrow from Cartagena. My heart will be broken if she slept with Alejandro. I don't think I can take it.

I look around with blurry eyes, trying to focus on my surroundings but it's just a concrete cell with one light bulb overhead and one door. No windows, no bars...nothing. I don't even know how long I've been here. After hours of beatings I've lost all track of time.

I used Miguel's fear of the Maeng family to buy myself some time. Hopefully Ji-Hoo will contact my father quickly and they will get me out of here before Miguel contacts them. I know it was a dangerous card to play. If he tries to make a deal with them, I'm a dead man. I hope I made the right choice...

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

"What do you think it means?" Alejandro asks me as we quickly make our way out of the airport in Bogota.

I finally met with my contact in Cartagena before we left but I made sure he didn't know who I am. The last thing I need is for my father or grandfather to start looking for me. He told me that the Maeng family pulled out of all the cities they keep their presence in except for Seoul and sent most of their people to Italy.

"I have no idea Alejandro. Nothing like this has ever happened throughout the entire history of my clan. Not that I am aware of at least. It worries me."

"Any news on Choi Young? Has Hyun Joong heard from him yet?" He says as I look at my phone.

"I don't know. I'm going to call Hyun Joong now." I tell him and raise my phone to my ear.

Ji-Hoo told me one of Miguel's thugs picked a fight with Woo Bin the other night. It means that Miguel is taking an interest in Woo Bin. This is very, very bad. Alejandro told me about his brother's confrontation with Juliana. I need to put a stop to this before it gets worse. If he decides to go after Woo Bin, I will have no choice but to take Miguel out. I already warned Alejandro about it. Woo Bin is going to have to stay inside the house till the situation is taken care of. Whether or not Woo Bin listens to me however is an entirely different story. He isn't used to being told what to do. Hopefully with Ji-Hoo's help we can keep him safe but Woo Bin didn't come home last night.

I need to decide what to do about Alejandro too. I don't like keeping Alejandro's help a secret from the guys but it may just bring up questions that I don't want to answer. For now, I will just keep Alejandro's involvement to myself. Woo Bin already doesn't like him. I really don't want to make things worse.

"Any luck?" I ask as Ji-Hoo answers my call. I've tried calling Woo Bin but there's been no answer. I keep hoping that he is just ignoring me so I asked Ji-Hoo to keep calling till we reach him.

"Ani. He isn't answering my calls either."

"What about Juliana? I know it's a stretch but she might know where he's at."

"I've already tried. She didn't see him last night and hasn't seen him all day but she seems worried. I think she might care enough to at least interfere if Miguel did go after him."

"Good to know. We are leaving the airport now. I'll be home soon." I tell him and hang up. As much as I keep hoping that Woo Bin is okay, my instincts are telling me otherwise. _I just hope I get to him before it's too late._

**(^_^)**

It's been 3 days since Woo Bin disappeared and I haven't felt this helpless since Saia was kidnapped last year. What's the point of all those years of training if I can't find one person? I've tried to keep calm and tried not to reveal too much of myself to Ji-Hoo but I can't wait any longer. Grabbing my phone I dial Luis' number.

"I was wondering when you were going to call me." His soft, laughing voice says. Just hearing it almost crumples my defenses but I manage to pull myself together.

"Luis."

"What's happened?" he says seriously. He still knows me so well.

"I need your help. I know I am asking a lot of you but I need to know if Miguel has captured someone and where he's holding him."

I hear a deep sigh and I know he's trying to think. "That's a tall order, Ki. I'll do what I can but I won't put my family in danger for this. I hope you understand."

"Of course I do. Just anything you can find out would be helpful."

"I'll call you back."

After I hang up the phone, I head into the living room and watch Ji-Hoo as he listens in on Sergio's conversations. Thanks to Alejandro, we were able to plant a listening device in his office at home. Ji-Hoo keeps hoping he will hear something about Woo Bin.

"Ji-Hoo-ah… We need to talk." I say and sit down beside him. He pulls off his headphones and looks at me curiously.

"…How much do you trust me? Honestly." I ask.

"I trust you with my life." He says quietly.

"Why? You hardly know anything about me."

"Saia trusts you completely. That's all I need to know." He says as his penetrating gaze watches me closely. I nod and debate on how much I should tell him. I trust Ji-Hoo but the last thing I want is for him to be put in danger because of me. I decide to keep it is simple and vague as I can.

"I've been here before. I know people that are trying to help us find Woo Bin. When they do, I'm going to go get him but I'll have to do it alone."

"…I don't like it. If he is at Miguel's house you will be going up against too many guys by yourself. Woo Bin wouldn't want you to get yourself killed for him. If we contact Mr. Song-"

"That's going to take too much time. I can do this. I promise you. I know what I'm doing."

"This isn't about trust Boo Ki. This is too dangerous. Saia asked me to trust you no matter how crazy your ideas might seem but this is too much. It's suicide."

"Not for me it isn't. I've been trained for things like this. I won't be going in there to pick a fight. I just need to get in and get him out of there as quietly as possible."

Ji-Hoo rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands and sighs in frustration. This has been hard on both of us.

"I… I love him Ji-Hoo. I have to do everything I can to save him just like you did for Saia."

He looks up at me and I keep my eyes locked with his. I am going to do this with or without his approval but I really would prefer to have his support.

"…Okay but I want you to be wired and stay in contact with me. If there is even a chance of things going bad, I will get the Songs involved. Arasso?"

I nod and stand up to return to my room. "Thank you Ji-Hoo."

All I can do now is prepare and wait.

**(^_^)**

I jolt awake and reach for my cell phone. I have only been asleep for a couple of hours and it's the middle of the night. There is only one person that would be calling me at this hour.

"Luis?"

"He's at the house and he may be wounded but he's still alive. I'm pretty sure he's being held in the basement."

"Thank you. I owe you."

"The only thing you owe me is to come back alive. I know you're good at this kind of thing but they have guns and a lot of men. Be careful Ki."

"I always am. I'll see you soon." I hang up my phone and grab my gear. The adrenaline is starting to pump through my veins as go to wake up Ji-Hoo. For once I can put my training to good use and save a life. More importantly it's for someone I love.


	16. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

**ALEJANDRO'S POV:**

"Hello Mom. How are you feeling?" I ask as I lean down and kiss her cheek.

"I'm good today dear. You look tired. Is everything alright?"

Sitting down beside her on the bed, I take her hands in mine. Her cancer is in remission and I'm happy to see her doing better. We have always been close and the thought of losing her practically brings me to my knees.

"No Mom. I need to ask you a few things about Dad. They may upset you though."

"Okay. I will answer you as best as I can but why would they upset me? Does it have something to do with why you and your father don't get along anymore? You never did tell me what happened. It's the only thing you have ever kept from me and your father won't tell me either. What happened?"

"We… We had a disagreement. I found out some things that he's been doing… terrible things Mom. It isn't right. I confronted him about it and…" I didn't realize just how difficult this was going to be. I love my Mom dearly. I don't want to hurt her.

"I understand. Your father is no saint. He used to be such a good man but over the years he has changed. He's been consumed by greed. He's not the man I fell in love with all those years ago." She says sadly.

"He has to be held accountable. There are people that are trying to bring him to justice and I want to help them. I don't want you and Juliana to pay for his mistakes. It's bad enough that Miguel is involved with drugs. The people associated with Dad will kill any of us if it is to their advantage." My mother's face pales at my words and she clutches my hands tightly. I know how much she loves her kids. She would do anything to protect us and I would do anything to protect her. That's why I want to put my father and brother behind bars.

"What do you plan to do?" she asks quietly.

"I need to get into Dad's office downtown without him knowing. Can you help me?" I ask her. I know that she doesn't want her husband and child to go to prison but she has never approved of Miguel's lifestyle. I know that she will want to do the right thing no matter how much it hurts.

"…Si. I'll help you my son. Just tell me what you need me to do."

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

"Are you sure about this?" Ji-Hoo asks me as he types furiously into his laptop.

"For the hundredth time, yes I am. Have you hacked into their security yet?"

"…yes. I'm in. Keep in touch with me so I know where you are. I'll loop the camera video so they won't see you but the rest is up to you. If Woo Bin is injured-"

"I'll get him out of their safely Ji-Hoo. Don't worry. Plus if I can do some snooping on Miguel then that will be a bonus." I say and step out of the car.

Covered from head to toe in black, I soundlessly approach Miguel's Estate on this moonless night. I easily scale the brick fence that surrounds his property and creep towards the house. I watch from the underbrush as several lazy guards talk to each other while they smoke.

"Can you hear me?" I whisper to Ji-Hoo through the earpiece.

"Yes."

Scanning the house as I move away from the guards, I see an open window. I prefer going through windows versus doors.

"The cameras are covered. You're clear." Ji-Hoo says to me and smoothly slip inside. The room is dark and appears to be an empty bedroom. Making my way to the door I listen for sounds of movement in the hallway. Everyone should be asleep at this hour but Miguel might have people patrolling the house. Stepping into the empty hallway, I see a camera close by but trust that Ji-Hoo has already taken care of it.

"The entrance to the basement is close. Go right down the hall, make a left, and it's the third door on your right."

As I follow his directions, I suddenly hear a door start to open and duck behind a corner. I can hear tiny footsteps heading in the opposite direction and peek from my hiding place to see a little girl shuffling down the hall. Breathing a sigh of relief, I continue to the basement door but hesitate.

"Where's his office?" I ask.

"Two more doors down on the left but… do you really want to risk it?"

Keeping quiet, I make my way to Miguel's office and step inside. Ji-Hoo already hacked into his computer when we first arrived in Colombia and didn't find anything important on it. So that means he must use other methods of storing his information. Carefully digging through the drawers of his desk I hunt for flash drives or external hard drives. But I highly doubt he would leave them lying around in a drawer. Seeing keys to a Maserati sitting on the desk, I quickly pocket them. I remember seeing the black car sitting outside the front door. It would make for a quick escape if needed.

Moving through the room, I start searching for a safe and finally locate it inside an end table by the sofa. It's electronic but not difficult to crack with the equipment Ji-Hoo gave me. Digging out the device from my small backpack, I hook it up to the safe and wait for it to enter the correct combination. The safe unlocks with a soft click and I smile as I see two external hard drives inside. Placing everything in my backpack I close the safe and head for the door. Before I can open it, I hear voices and pause. Opening it a crack, I see two men leave the basement and walk down the hallway. Once they are gone, I enter through the door they just left and make my way down the stairs.

"I've only seen a few guys but there aren't a lot of cameras down there. Be careful." Ji-Hoo says quietly. At the bottom of the stairs, I can see a couple of guys talking at the end of the dimly lit hallway. I'm betting Woo Bin is behind the door they are standing in front of.

"Can you get into their power supply?" I whisper to Ji-Hoo.

"Already done."

"Be ready to cut off power to the house when I tell you." I silently make my way to the two guards and slam their heads against each other, knocking them out. I'm grateful that Miguel keeps some of his doors "old school" with simple locks instead of electronic ones. Though I bet the ones that guard his money and drugs are much more high tech. Several of the doors in this hallway are electronic but not this one. I easily unlock it and drag the men inside.

"Who are you?" a groggy voice asks and I turn to see a badly beaten Woo Bin. His right leg is heavily bandaged and I can see the blood seeping through it. Keeping my anger at his condition in check, I quickly make my way over to him.

"Can you walk?" I ask him as I untie him.

"Y-Yeah. I think so. B-Boo Ki-yah? I-Is that you?" He asks me weakly. The only thing that is visible is my eyes. Everything else is covered.

"Yes. It's me Woo Bin-ah. I'm getting you out of here."

"You shouldn't ha-"

"Don't start Woo Bin. We don't have time for this." I cut him off. Grabbing his arm, I wrap it around my shoulders to lift him up off the chair and walk towards the door. Listening carefully, I hear no one in the hall and open the door.

Despite his injuries, Woo Bin is on high alert and does his best to not slow us down. The hallway is eerily quiet and hopefully no one will wake up till we are long gone.

Before we reach the stairs, I hear the door at the top open and quickly pull Woo Bin up against the wall so they can't see us.

"Ji-Hoo, now." As soon as the words leave my mouth, the lights go out. I hear angry curses from the stairs as they fumble around in the dark.

"Stay here." I whisper to Woo Bin and feel him nod. Its pitch black down here but I know how to rely on my hearing. There are three men on the stairs and I quickly silence them with blows to the head. Two of them are just unconscious but the third tries to fight back and judging from the sticky substance on my gloved hands, he probably won't wake up. Shaking the thought from my mind, I quickly reach Woo Bin and begin to guide him up the stairs.

Once the door to the main floor is open, I can finally see a little better but I have been so focused on keeping Woo Bin steady that I didn't notice the figure waiting by the door. My eyes widen in horror as I feel the barrel of the gun against my head and hear the sickening click as he cocks it.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Miguel growls. He barely gets the sentence out and Woo Bin lunges at him. He wrestles Miguel for the gun but he is still weak from his injuries. Grabbing Miguel's hand with both of my own, I try to pry the gun from his grip but he stubbornly holds on. I can hear Ji-Hoo yelling in my ear but I ignore it and focus solely on Miguel. Hearing shouts and footsteps heading our way, I slam my foot into the back of Miguel's knee. He falls to the floor in pain but at the same time, he pulls the trigger and barely misses hitting Woo Bin in the head. My heart starts to pound in fear as I hear the other men getting closer. We are out of time.

Switching myself off I let my instincts take over. Putting both my hands on either side of Miguel's head I twist it sharply and with a sickening snap he slumps lifelessly to the floor, his neck broken. Grabbing Woo Bin's arm I quickly pull him down the corridor, ignoring the shocked look in his eyes. We reach the main entrance to the house and I can see the front door directly ahead of us.

"Who are you?" A tiny voice asks and I turn to see a little girl staring at us. It's the same one I saw in the hallway earlier.

_Leave no witnesses. Kill anyone that sees you whether it's a man, woman, or child… _The words that my grandfather engrained into every assassin chants in my head as I stare at her. My reason is gone. For the moment I am no longer Kim Boo Ki but a Maeng Assassin running on pure instinct. I step towards her drawing my knife when I am stopped by a strong hand on my arm.

"What are you doing?" Woo Bin hisses in my ear.

_Do not speak. Never let them hear you… _My grandfather's words echo in my head. Easily pulling away from him, I make my way towards the girl and her eyes widen in fear at the sight of the knife. The glass of milk slips from her hands and shatters on the floor.

"Boo Ki?! What the fuck are you doing?!" Woo Bin asks as he grabs my arm again. My focus is solely on the girl and the loud whispers in my head continue as if they are surrounding me. They drown out everything else. But as I see the terror and the tears in her eyes I snap back to reality.

_NO! THIS ISN'T ME! NOT ANYMORE! I DON'T WANT THIS! _my mind screams and my grandfather's voice disappears.

"Run and hide. It isn't safe here." I whisper to her as I sheath my knife. She immediately runs away and I try to ignore the sickening feeling of guilt in my stomach.

"What the hell was that all about?" Woo Bin asks but I simply grab his arm again and drag him towards the door.

"Are you still with me Ji-Hoo?" I ask.

"Yes. What do you need?"

"I need a distraction. Any ideas?"

An alarm suddenly goes off towards the back of the house as I dig out the keys I grabbed earlier and help Woo Bin into the car.

"Thanks Ji-Hoo. I'm driving him out of here. We'll meet you back at the house."

"Understood."

"This is a nice car." Woo Bin says with a groan. He sits back in his seat with pain clearly etched on his face. I simply nod and speed the sleek Maserati towards the main gate.

"You have a lot of explaining to do Boo Ki-yah." Woo Bin says weakly. Our escape drained every bit of energy he had. I remain silent and soon hear his soft snores as he sleeps.

I want to throw up. I hate myself right now. How could I let the assassin in me take over so easily? That isn't who I am anymore. _I almost killed that little girl!_ I try to block out the memories as I make my way home. It was the death of a child that turned Ji-Yong and I away from this life and yet here I am …stepping right back into this role. I only wanted to save someone I love, not fall back into that dark abyss.

_I don't want that life…_ _Please… _I glance at Woo Bin's sleeping form and brush away the lone tear that escapes my watery eyes. _Please Woo Bin-ah… Help me…_

**A/N: Mianhae(Sorry)… I know I've been a horrible updater. I hope this chapter kind of makes up for it. **

**I will try my hardest to get back into my routine of updating weekly again. To all of you who have stuck by me, gamsahabnida(Thank you). **

**To WooKi fan: ****Thank you and I'm glad you are enjoying it. ^^**

**To all of my readers****: I just want to say thank you so much for the love you have shown for my story and my characters. It means a lot to me because the characters mean a lot to me. That may sound strange but Saia and Boo Ki both contain a piece of me in their personalities. So thank you my amazing readers. I hope you continue to enjoy reading it.**


	17. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

Gritting my teeth in pain, I watch as Ji-Hoo stitches up my leg. Even though he numbed the pain, the tugging of my skin makes me cringe. What an awesome week I've had… The woman I love won't speak to me, I've had to pretend to show interest in a woman I can't stand, I got ambushed and kidnapped getting out of my car by a mob of guys, I got shot, and then the woman I love turned super spy overnight. Some Mafia Prince I'm turning out to be. My emotions are way out of control lately. If I don't start focusing on our priorities I'm going to get myself or someone else killed.

"...I'm glad you are alright for the most part. We were really worried." Ji-Hoo says quietly. He glances up at me and I smile brightly at him.

"You honestly didn't think it would be **that** easy to get rid of me, did you?"

"You're lucky that he didn't kill you Woo Bin."

"Who needs luck when I have you two?"

"Be serious. After what happened at the bar the other night you should have stayed here. What if we hadn't been able to get to you?" He says in frustration. I hide my chuckle behind a cough. I know I shouldn't be teasing him like this but I am so relieved to be out of Miguel's cell that I can't help myself.

"I love you too Ji-Hoo-yah!" I say and pucker my lips in a mocking kiss.  
Ji-Hoo just shakes his head in exasperation as he finishes attending to my wound.

"You're going to have to stay off your leg for a few days. Boo Ki and I can wrap up things here ourselves."

"You can't be serious! You don't expect me to stay in bed and let you guys do all the work do you?" I ask incredulously.

"Actually no. I figure since you need to rest, you can use the laptop and start looking into our target in London."

I groan and let my head fall back against the chair I'm sitting on. "Let me guess. That was Boo Ki's idea?"

"No. It's mine. As your doctor and your best friend, I'm not letting you out of this house again until we head to the airport."

That sounds like a challenge to me but I don't push him. He's got that pissed off look on his face and I know better than to make it worse. An angry Ji-Hoo is almost as scary as Jun Pyo's dragon of a mother.

"Where's Boo Ki? I need to talk to her." I ask instead. Ji-Hoo doesn't answer but instead pulls me up from my seat and helps me to my room. Once I'm settled in bed, I study my friend's expression. "Where is she?"

"...I'll worry about Boo Ki. You should get some sleep. DON'T get out of this bed. Once you've both had some rest, then you can talk."

"I don't want to sleep right now. I want to talk to her." I pout. _I'm pouting? What the hell? What kind of drugs did he give me anyways?_

"..." He just stares at me with his arms crossed.

"Fine." I grumble and slump against the pillows. I swear Ji-Hoo can be as bad as my mother sometimes.

**(^_^)**

**JI-HOO POV:**

I don't know what happened in that mansion tonight but something in Boo Ki snapped. I saw it as I watched them on the cameras. The moment Miguel almost killed Woo Bin, she changed. She became ruthless and the way she stalked towards that little girl… She wasn't the Boo Ki we know but fortunately something stopped her from hurting that girl. Once she managed to help me get Woo Bin inside our house, I could see she was about to fall apart. She was so pale. She left me alone to tend to Woo Bin but I've been worried about her the whole time.

Reaching her room, the door is open and I knock quietly. She stands at her window, her arms wrapped tightly around her thin frame. I can feel the remorse and guilt pouring off of her. Walking up to her, I pull her into a brotherly hug and I feel her relax gratefully in my arms.

I can tell she doesn't want to talk to me about it and that's fine …for now. I know I'm not her confidant but she is going to need to talk to someone about this soon.

"...Do you want to call Saia?" I quietly ask her. She shakes her head and pulls away.

"Thanks but no. Not now. I need to get some rest before I meet with Alejandro later. If he manages to find something useful on his dad, we need to act fast. Hopefully we can end this quickly before Sergio suspects what's going on. Especially now that his oldest son is dead."

"Are you going to tell Alejandro about Miguel?"

She swallows hard and nods her head. "Yes. I owe him that at least. Especially after everything he has done to help us."

"And Woo Bin?"

She sighs and turns away from me to sit on her bed. "Woo Bin I owe the most of all. I know I need to speak to him Ji-Hoo. And I will tonight after I get back. He needs some sleep first."

"...You're going to tell him ...everything?"

She nods and looks up at me. "I'm going to tell you both everything. I know I can trust you it's just... It's something that I'm ashamed of and something that will put your lives in danger. I just don't want to keep it from you guys anymore. It will explain a lot about what happened last night..." Her voice trails off into a whisper.

"...okay. I'll let you get some rest then."

"Ji-Hoo?"

"Mmhmm?" I stop before exiting her room and turn to look at her.

"Please don't tell Saia about last night. I want to tell her myself."

"I understand." I say with a nod and leave her room. The last thing I want is to upset Saia right now anyways. She's got enough to worry about with us here, watching over Yi-Jung, Jun Pyo, and now Ga-Eul & the baby.

Before I can knock on Woo Bin's door to check on him I hear his loud snores and shake my head in amusement. So much for his protests about sleeping.

**(^_^)**

**SERGIO'S POV:**

"Why haven't you and Angiolo been answering my calls?" I ask her angrily. I know that they are trying to protect themselves and don't care about leaving me out to dry. I keep reminding them though that we are in this together. There are only three of us left out of our nine member organization. We need to stick together to protect all of our interests. They don't see it that way however.

"I've been busy." A cold, feminine voice replies. She doesn't hide the irritation or the boredom in her tone.

"Why are you not more concerned about what's going on? There are only three of us left!"

"Kim Tae Mu may think he can sell us out for his freedom but if they have no proof that we've done anything wrong, then we don't have a problem."

"I've known Tae Mu for a long time. I don't believe he would sell us out. I think someone else is behind all of this."

"Like who?" She asks in exasperation. "All of us have made sure our tracks are covered in these matters. Those that have been arrested have been for things that aren't connected to us."

"Then what about the deaths? It's too much of a coincidence. Someone is trying to take us out."

"Who Sergio? Who could possibly know so much about us?"

"I believe Saia Caelum knows more than she lets on and after the death of her boyfriend she inherited a fortune from him. She now has the means to get revenge."

"You're being paranoid. We've been keeping an eye on every move she makes. Other than helping his son put Tae Mu behind bars, she hasn't made a move that warrants our concern."

"I still think we should do something about her."

"Like what? It's bad enough that Tae Mu killed two very public people close to her. If we do anything to her at this point it will only raise people's suspicions. That is the last thing we need right now."

"But-"

"Angiolo agrees with me. If you move to do anything against her, you will be completely on your own. We won't do anything to help you if it goes bad."

The line goes dead as she hangs up on me and I grit my teeth in frustration. Everything I have always wanted is within my grasp yet I can't shake this feeling that I'm next and things are getting ready to fall apart. I won't let it. I've fought too hard to get where I am now. I don't care what it takes.

My phone rings and I answer it with a smile. "Hello, my love. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling good today, my dear. I was wondering if we could go out to dinner, just the two of us. It's been such a long time Sergio." My wife quietly asks. She very rarely asks me for anything and after almost losing her to cancer I am willing to grant her anything she desires.

"Of course we can. I'm leaving my office now. I'll be home in 20 minutes and we can go where ever you like." Grabbing my coat, I exit my office and push my worries aside for the night. I haven't been as good of a father as I should have been or as good of a husband. It may be too late for my kids but it's time to start trying harder for my wife. I promised her the world and that's exactly what I intend to give her.

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

"Everything I could find in my father's office is here on this external hard drive." Alejandro says as he hands it to me. "He's forged documents, laundered money, received political bribes… he really is an ass. Are you sure that the police won't just let him go?"

"I'm positive. I found a prosecutor that can't be bought." I say.

"What about my brother?"

I keep my face carefully blank but I don't know how I am going to break the news to him.

"I take it things didn't go exactly as planned last night?" he softly asks.

"No. They didn't. I'm sorry Alejandro but I had no choice. He almost killed Woo Bin." I answer softly and avert my gaze from his.

"It's not your fault. Miguel signed his own fate. I will mourn him because he was my brother but he was not a good man and the world is a better place with him gone. He's killed a lot of people. Don't regret what you did. You saved your friend's life."

I am grateful that he doesn't blame me but it doesn't lessen my feelings of regret.

**(^_^)**

Alejandro's words replay in my head as I return home. He makes it sound so easy but then again he has never killed anyone. How could he possibly know what it's like?

"How did it go?" Ji-Hoo asks as I come in. I hand him the hard drive with a weak smile.

"Good. We just need to give this to Prosecutor Moreno and we are all done here."

He smiles and nods at me. "Woo Bin is awake. He's been asking for you."

"Then I think it's time for that conversation." I might as well get it over quickly. I have no idea how they are going to respond to what I am about to say.

Woo Bin's face lights up the moment he sees me and my heart clenches in my chest. I have the strangest urge to let him wrap his arms around me and protect me from the world like he wants to. I want to tell him how much I love him but I can't do that yet. Not till I tell him the truth. I need to know if he will still feel the same once he finds out what I really am.

"Come here." Woo Bin says as he pats a spot beside him. I shake my head slowly and sit down in the chair next to his bed.

"I have something I need to tell you both and I need to be able to think clearly."

"So… I make it hard for you to think clearly?" He asks with a playful smirk. I can feel my face heat up but ignore his comment for now.

"I need you to listen to me and wait till I am finished before you say anything. Okay?"

His eyes are glowing at me as he nods, his smile never leaving his face and I see Ji-Hoo nod as well.

"You've heard of the Maeng family haven't you?" I ask Woo Bin and I watch as his smile quickly disappears to be replaced by first shock and then confusion. "I am the granddaughter of Maeng Jung Min, the head of the Maeng clan."

I watch with a sinking heart as the blood quickly drains from Woo Bin's face. He understands what that makes me.

"Who?" Ji-Hoo asks in confusion.

I start from the very beginning and explain what the Maeng family is for Ji-Hoo's benefit and also for them both to understand how my family operates. I tell them everything, including the order my grandfather gave for me to be raped. I even tell them about helping my step-brother Ji-Yong escape as well as my own escape from the family with the help of my Aunt Mo Ne. I do leave out the part where my aunt and I trained Saia to fight like us. We did it so she could protect herself. If she wants to tell Ji-Hoo someday, she will. She's never killed anybody and hopefully she will never have to.

Keeping my eyes resolutely fixed on a spot in the floor, I continue my story with everything I have done here as well as all the information I have acquired in regards to my family's activities in Italy with Angiolo Botticelli. I explain what happened at Miguel's house as well. As I finish, I deafening silence fills the room and I can hear Ji-Hoo shift in his chair but I'm too frightened to look at either of them. These men whose opinions mean the world to me, I don't think I can handle seeing their eyes full of judgment and disgust.

"Boo Ki look at me." Woo Bin says. I swallow the lump in my throat and keep my eyes on the floor. He shifts on the bed and I feel his hand on my cheek as he turns my face towards him. I close my eyes in fear.

"Please look at me Boo Ki." He pleads and I slowly open my eyes. I feel shock run down my spine at the look of pure love and concern on his face.

"You have been through so much, baby." He whispers softly. Releasing my face, he takes my hand and pulls me towards him. "Come here."

I sit down on the bed beside him and he pulls me into his arms, burying his face in my neck.

"Y-you don't hate me?" I stammer.

"Why would we hate you?" Ji-Hoo asks in confusion.

Woo Bin pulls away just far enough to look into my eyes. "You risked your life to break away from them and to make a new life for yourself. I am so proud of you honey for standing up for yourself."

"We both are." Ji-Hoo adds. I see the sincerity in both of their faces and feel my eyes start to burn. The relief that rushes throughout my body is overwhelming. Is it really this easy? How can they be so accepting of me?

Woo Bin lowers his mouth and places a soft kiss on my forehead. The sweetness of it breaks the walls around my heart and I choke on a strangled sob. All these years I have held in all my sadness and grief but I can't do it anymore. He doesn't say anything, just holds me tightly in his arms as I sob against his chest. I didn't think it was possible to love this man any more than I already did but tonight he proved me wrong.


	18. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 17**

**JI-YONG'S POV:**

_It's so dark and cold tonight._ I realize with a shudder and pull my coat tighter around me. I probably should have accepted Cora's offer to drive me home but I don't want that weirdo knowing where I live. I know that Cora likes me. All of bloody fucking England knows because she has told everyone. She's a sweet and bubbly girl …innocent too. If she really had any idea of who I was she would run away from me as quickly as possible. Hell, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to scare her a bit and then she would find someone nice and secure to lavish her attention on. My life is anything but safe and secure. She deserves better.

I stomp my feet in front of my door to knock the snow off of my shoes. Once inside, I take them off and leave them by the door. It's one of the few habits I kept since adopting England as my new home. My life in Korea feels like a nightmare that I can never forget. If it wasn't for my sister I would hate that place. She is the only one I care about. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her and wonder how she is doing. I miss her. She is the only family that I still have in my eyes. She may be only my half-sister but she treated me as her full brother and with respect. She treated me like a human being. The rest of our family treated me like dirt beneath their feet.

I despise our father and grandfather. Not just because of what they represent but for what they did to my sister. I could handle them beating me but not her. And when they allowed her to be raped in front of them, I cried for months. She didn't deserve that. I was so afraid she would be broken after that but thanks to Saia she managed to work past it. I did my best to be there for her. I wish I had done more. I wish I had stopped it somehow. But I was just a boy then. I didn't have the strength or the skill to fight our father let alone our grandfather.

As I make myself a pot of tea lost in my thoughts, I hear my phone go off and dig it out of my pocket. It's my boss.

My boss is the head of security for Lydia Churchill. She is a Member of Parliament and one of the favorites to be the next Prime Minister. I work as one of her bodyguards. I sigh as I read the message from James informing me of any early schedule tomorrow. _So much for sleeping in for once._ I inwardly groan. I like my job but I'm applying for a position elsewhere. Lydia is not what she seems. I may not have seen her do anything bad but my instincts say otherwise. I don't want to be involved with anyone like that anymore. I left that life behind when I left Korea.

I plop down on the sofa with my tea and look at the picture of Boo Ki and I that is sitting on my coffee table. It's the only picture I brought with me.

"How was your day, Boo Ki-yah? Are you doing okay? I haven't forgotten my promise to you. I miss you, dong saeng (little sister)."

I'm so tired. Not just physically but mentally as well. It's rare when I get a chance to truly relax. I don't know if my family is looking for me but I always keep my guard up. After finally being free of them, I won't let them kill me without a fight. Especially since Boo Ki went through so much to help me.

Feeling my eyelids grow heavy, I lay my head back on the sofa and for just one night, allow my memories of the past to invade my dreams.

_Little did I know that my past was about to come crashing back into my life._

**(^_^)**

**SAIA'S POV:**

"Are you sure about this?" DK asks me. "I can always go some other time."

"You have to go. Jae Kyung has been looking forward to tonight for-" *sneeze* "over a week. I'll be fine." I tell him. He looks at me skeptically.

"You have been sick for awhile and you don't seem to be getting any better." He says worriedly.

"DK …you are my bodyguard. Not my doctor. If I need anything, I'll call Jan Di and-" *sneeze* "the Songs have guys watching the house. I'll be fine."

"I'm more than just a bodyguard." He grumbles. "Personal assistant, friend, baggage carrier, chauffeur-"

"Okay I get it." I cut him off with a hoarse laugh. My throat hurts and I am so tired of being sick. I've had the flu for over a week but it stubbornly refuses to go away. I won't let it ruin DK and Jae Kyung's first date though. "Please just go. Then come back and tell me how it goes."

Giving me one last look, he reluctantly leaves and I snuggle down into the blankets of the bed to try and get some more sleep. I need to be at the office tomorrow. I've missed enough work as it is.

It's been fun watching Jae Kyung and DK's blossoming relationship but it's making me miss my own even more. This house feels too empty without Ji-Hoo.

My phone starts ringing and I reach for it but I don't recognize the number. Not sure whether to answer it or not, I let it go to voicemail but once the call ends, they immediately call again. Only one person I know calls like this.

"Yobosaeyo?"

"Where is she?" a woman's voice asks.

"She's safe. She's just helping a friend." I say.

"…How can you be so sure? Do you have any idea what's going on? The people she has been meeting with? Every step she takes is drawing her in closer and closer to them. If they find out she is alive, they will kill her."

"Aunt Mo Nae, you know how careful she is-"

"Obviously she hasn't been careful enough. Something big is happening and they have caught wind of her. Where is she?"

"Colombia. But they leave for London in a few days."

"Gets some rest and take care of yourself. They may come after you as well. Be ready to move."

The line goes dead and I stare blankly at my phone. Mo Nae would never call me unless it was important and she must know that something is about to happen. It worries me. If things go badly, I don't know if I will be strong enough to protect myself on my own. I have to hurry up and get better before it's too late.

**(^_^)**

**A/N: This part is rated. You are warned... ^_^**

**B****OO KI'S POV:**

It's warm and comfy. I don't want to get up. I can feel Woo Bin's heavy arm around my waist and his breath on my face. His eyes are closed and I know he needs his rest. The last thing I remember last night was crying in his arms. It feels amazing waking up beside him like this. Opening my eyes, I watch his peaceful face. He seems so innocent like this. But I can tell he is just pretending.

"Don't you think a guy as handsome as me deserves a good morning kiss?" he whispers with a smirk and lazily opens his eyes.

"And taste your morning breath? No thanks." I tease.

"Wae?!" he whines and pouts at me. My jaw drops and I stare at him in shock. Is this the great Song Mafia Prince or a 5 year old child?

"Ya… I don't kiss children." I say but before I can finish my sentence, he pins me beneath him. I indulge him, enjoying the weight of his body on top of mine. His eyes are full of heat as he gazes down at me and grinds his morning erection against my thigh. My breath hitches in my throat at the feel of him. He is much larger than I expected and it excites me.

"Do I feel like a child to you?" He whispers in my ear and nips my lobe. I bite my bottom lip to keep the moan from escaping my mouth.

"Woo Bin-ah…" I whisper. I need to tell him now before things go any farther between us.

"Mmm?" he hums as he nuzzles my throat.

"Saranghae."

He stiffens against me and snaps his head up to look in my eyes. I hold his shocked gaze and brush my hand against his cheek.

"I love you Song Woo Bin." I say again. His face breaks into the most beautiful smile I have ever seen and my heart quickens at the sight.

"I love you too… so very much. You have no idea how happy you have just made me." He leans down and presses his lips against mine. It is the sweetest, most loving kiss I have ever experienced in my life. He tries to deepen it but I gently push him back.

"You're still injured. You need to take it easy."

He growls in frustration and falls back against the pillows at my side. Playing with his fingers, I glance at the clock and try slide off the bed but his hand tights against mine and pulls me back.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Ji-Hoo and I have an appointment with the Prosecutor this morning."

"He already left."

"How do you know?" I ask skeptically.

"Because I do." He jerks on my arm and I land on his chest. The feel of him beneath me isn't helping control my desire. We need to wait. I don't want to exaggerate his wound. He arches his back and I gasp as I feel his clothed erection rub against me.

"Woo Bin we can't-"

"Why? I know you want to feel me inside of you as much as I do." He smiles playfully and rubs his thumbs against my inner thighs. He's dangerously close to my soaked folds and my shorts don't offer much protection from his wandering hands.

"You can be on top." He whispers as he sits up and nips my bottom lip. His mouth trails soft kisses along my neck and shoulder as his hands travel to the waistband of my shorts. Hissing in pleasure, my back arches as he unbuttons my shorts and slides a hand inside to rub me through my thong.

"You are so wet for me baby." He groans against my shoulder. "I want to taste you."

My control finally snaps at his words and I push him back down against the bed.

"Not this time Woo Bin-ah." I whisper seductively and rub myself against his cock. He groans deeply and his fingers dig into my waist.

Yanking his shirt off, I run my hands down his toned chest and tease his hardened nipples with my fingers. His eyes are clouded with desire as he watches every movement I make. Locking my gaze with his, I swirl one of his nipples with my tongue and watch his eyes dilate with pleasure. Grazing my teeth against it, he groans as his hand slides into my hair. While his attention is focused on my mouth, I slide a hand into his pajama pants and slowly began to stroke his hard length. He isn't wearing any underwear and it turns me on even more. Closing his eyes he thrusts against my hand and bites his bottom lip in pleasure, his breathing ragged.

"Baby if you keep doing that, I'm not going to last very long. I want you too badly." He moaned. I knew our first time wouldn't last very long. The sexual frustration that has built up between us is too much. He slides his hands into my shorts and pushes them down along with my underwear. "I want to see you."

Once they are gone he pulls me down into a passionate kiss, his tongue thoroughly exploring my mouth. We break apart to pull my shirt over my head and his mouth latches onto my collarbone. His hands are shaking as he expertly unhooks my bra and tosses it away. The feel of my skin against his is like heaven and I explore every inch of him with my hands as I help him remove his pants. He impatiently kicks them off and pulls me back down to hungrily devour my left breast.

My head falls back and I gasp for air as his fingers begin to stroke my folds. Every inch of my body is sensitive to his touch. I feel like I am on fire and I will combust at any moment. Every touch, gasp, and groan is driving us higher. Our bodies are slick with sweat as we continue to tease each other.

"Baby, please." Woo Bin pants and sucks on my neck greedily, leaving his mark.

"Condom?" I gasp as he slides two fingers inside of me.

"Drawer…" He growls against my shoulder as I swirl my thumb around his tip to smear his pre-cum around it. Out of patience, I desperately reach for the drawer at his bedside table and pull out a foil packet. Ripping it open, I roll it down his hardened member and lick my lips at the sight. Next time I want to taste him.

Gripping his cock, I guide it towards my entrance but before I can sink down on him he stops me. The look in his eyes is mesmerizing and we keep our eyes locked as he enters my slick folds. I gasp and bite my bottom lip at the feel of him sliding into me. He's so big that I have to give myself a moment to adjust. His fingers tease my nipples as he waits for me to move.

Placing my hands on his chest, I begin to rock against him and he arches his back up to meet me. He's right. We aren't going to last very long this time. He feels so incredible and the moment he hits my g-spot I yelp in pleasure. A sexy chuckle rumbles through his chest as he grabs my hips to continually hit that spot. Feeling my climax quickly approaching I can tell he's close too as he swells even larger inside of me.

"Oh my god Woo Bin…" I gasp as our climaxes crash over us. I cry out in pleasure and he sits up to claim my lips with his. A deep groan rumbles through his chest as he pushes himself deep inside of me to extend the pleasure.

I swear I can see stars as he falls back into the pillows taking me with him. It's true what Saia said. It definitely is better when you love the person you are with.

"That… was…fantastic." Woo Bin says between pants.

"Mmmhmm… Just wait till you are healed." I murmur lazily as I try to catch my breath. That was the most amazing round of sex that I have ever experienced. Just thinking about what it will be like when he's better makes me grin wickedly against his chest. He chuckles and pulls my face towards his for a languid kiss.

"I can't wait." He says mischievously. My heart swells with joy at the sound of his laugh and the feel of his lips.

**A/N: This chapter introduces Ji-Yong, Boo Ki's step-brother which if anyone remembers the beginning of the story he was the one Boo Ki saved. Hopefully it makes sense. Saia is going to play a bigger part very soon as well. Thanks for reading! ^_^ **


	19. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18**

**JI-HOO'S POV:**

It's funny how much Boo Ki has already turned Woo Bin in to a hopeless puppy. He watches her with such adoration it makes me laugh. Do I look at Saia like that? Like my whole world lives and breathes with her? I admit that it does feel that way most of the time but seeing Woo Bin like this is new. I've known him for so long and he has never acted like this with any of his girls.

Since he met her, he has been gradually changing into a person that wants to use his position in the Korean Mafia to do some good. That's what finding our "other half" so to speak does to us. They make us want to be better people. It amazes me how much Jun Pyo and Yi-Jung changed because of their girls. They were two people that I believed were forever set in their ways. Even me. I never thought I would feel so alive until I met Saia and now Woo Bin also has that special someone in his life.

It pleases me to know that we are not the same F4 that we were in school. We have more to live for and more to accomplish that isn't solely for ourselves.

_I just wish…so very much…that this IDIOT would have listened to me when I said no physical activity… __**sigh**_

Yet he is laying here grinning like a fool while I re-stitch part of his wound. Boo Ki won't admit what they did but it's pretty obvious from her guilty look.

"…You honestly couldn't wait a few days?" I ask in irritation. "It won't heal properly if you keep breaking the stitches."

Woo Bin starts to speak but Boo Ki slaps a hand over his mouth and gives me a contrite look.

"Mianhae(I'm sorry) Ji-Hoo-yah. It won't happen again." She says. Woo Bin looks at her in horror.

"Honestly Woo Bin-ah it won't kill you to wait a few days." I say impatiently.

"Easy for you to say. Now that she's officially mine I don't want to give her a chance to change her mind." He grumbles as she releases his mouth. She laughs and rubs his back while I bandage his wound.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." She smiles at him.

**(^_^)**

With everything finally wrapping up in Colombia, it's time for us to leave and I can honestly say I am relieved. Alejandro has stepped up to take care of his mother and sister along with testifying against his father. But even with Miguel dead and Sergio now behind bars I have become increasingly uneasy to be here since I learned about the Maeng family. What they did to Boo Ki was unacceptable and the threat they pose to my loved ones makes me angry.

Woo Bin has expressed his uncertainty over going to Italy many times over the last few days and I am concerned as well. I now understand why he's been so reluctant about going there. We will essentially be going in blind with a high probability that we won't make it out of there alive. We agreed to focus on our target in London before deciding what to do about Angiolo Botticelli but it is still lingering in the back of my mind. What if I don't make it back to Saia? What if something happens to Woo Bin or Boo Ki?

This "mission" has always been dangerous but I have never been more aware of it than I am now. A feeling of dread has settled over my heart no matter how much I try to shake it and assure myself that we will all get through this. So much is uncertain.

Glancing over at Woo Bin and Boo Ki I envy them for being here together. They sleep peacefully beside each other with her head on his shoulder on our flight to London without a care in the world at the moment.

I wish I was flying to Seoul instead of London. Before our flight, DK called me to let me know that Saia has had the flu and isn't getting better. It worries me. I know Jan Di will keep an eye on her but I should be by my fiancé's side taking care of her. Saia reassured me over and over that she is okay but I love her. Of course I worry about her.

Opening up my laptop, I go over the information that we have on Lydia Churchill. A representative in England's Parliament, she is known for being extremely intelligent and as a "voice of the people" she has quickly moved up the ranks of the English Government. It's all a façade though.

According to the information we have received so far, she is a cold and ruthless woman behind her sympathetic and well-mannered mask. She is also very reclusive and has no family that she is close to which makes getting close to her a bit more difficult.

Even with Boo Ki's skills, Woo Bin and I quietly agreed behind her back to keep her from using them as much as possible. The incident at Miguel's house proved how unstable she is considering the emotional trauma of her past. We don't want to put her through that again.

Hacking into Lydia Churchill's computers is always an option but I don't believe we will find anything. She's too thorough. I want to crack this one myself. With Woo Bin injured and Boo Ki's experience in Colombia, I want to make this as easy on them as possible.

Sifting through files I see something interesting. She loves music and attends concerts on a regular basis. It's one of the rare times she is seen in public. This I may be able to use to my advantage. When we land I'll make a few calls. I may be "dead" but that doesn't mean I don't still have connections.

**(^_^)**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

My plan has worked perfectly and now I am watching in amusement as my gorgeous girlfriend is trying not to act pleased by it. I made sure our apartment here in London only has two bedrooms and put her luggage in the same room as mine.

"You know, you could just sleep with Ji-Hoo." She says with an arched eyebrow.

"No way. He's all yours." Ji-Hoo says as he walks by.

I should take that as an insult but I don't. I'm too pleased with myself to harass Ji-Hoo at the moment.

"Sneaky bastard." Boo Ki says with a shake of her head and I smirk at her as I pull her into my arms.

"Come on baby. Don't pretend you don't like the thought of sleeping in the same bed." I whisper and nip her ear with my teeth. She shivers in my arms and I tighten my grip on her waist. I am so frustrated that we have only made love once so far because of my injury. It's healing fast but not quickly enough for me. I want to devour this goddess in my arms so badly that it's driving me crazy. But every time things get too heated she pulls away.

"Woo Bin-ah…" she says and wraps her arms around my waist. "I don't mind sleeping beside you but it's only going to make it harder on both of us. I want to make love to you too but not till Ji-Hoo says it's okay."

Groaning in frustration against her shoulder, I sit on the bed and pull her down above me till she's straddling my thighs. I capture her lips in a hungry kiss. Everything about her is intoxicating to me from her scent and her taste, to her intelligence and her humor. My need for her continues to grow and I don't want to spend any more time away from her.

I know now that Alejandro was never a threat but I am still happy to have Boo Ki away from him and all to myself. She may not have feelings for him but I know that he liked her. It was obvious. Thinking about it still pisses me off and my kisses become rough. _She's mine, damn it!_

Sliding my hands under her shirt, I explore her back with my hands and feel some of the scars from her training as a child. It instantly cools my anger and I pull away to trail soft kisses down her throat. Her sighs of pleasure make me smile against her soft skin but when my hands feel an unusual scar on her back, I pull up her shirt to try and look at it. She tugs at my hands to try and cover it back up but I resist.

"What is it?" I ask curiously. She's looks away from me and bites her bottom lip.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I tell her and use my thumb stop her abuse on her lip.

"It's not that." She says and turns to look at me. "It's just ugly. But it represents my freedom so I don't want to have it removed."

"Then you should be proud of it." I say and rub the spot affectionately. "You never did say how you escaped. Just that your family thinks you are dead. How?"

"My Aunt Mo Nae is how. She left before me but we secretly kept in contact. She knew I wanted out and so we made a plan. I was on a mission to assassinate a man on his yacht while it was out at sea. I was sent to kill him, blow up the yacht, and swim back to shore and meet up with my contact to confirm the kill. What my family didn't know was that my Aunt was waiting close by in another boat. Once I blew up the yacht, I swam to her and she took me away instead of meeting up with my contact. I got this scar from the blast because I cut the timing too close. They think I died in the blast. My Aunt still keeps track of them to ensure our safety."

I nod and peck her lips. "Thank you."

"For what?" she asks in confusion.

"For being you. For leaving them so that I was able to meet you. For loving me back."

She blushes and pushes my shoulder playfully. "Why are you being like that?"

"What?" I ask with a laugh. "I'm just telling you the truth. You make me so happy Boo Ki-yah."

I almost miss seeing her blushing face as she quickly buries her face in the crook of my neck. "You make me happy too Woo Bin-ah. Saranghae."

"Nado saraghae." I murmur and suck the sweet spot on her neck. She moans and tilts her head so that I have better access. Her voice is so sexy. Sliding my hands down to her hips, I grind her crotch against mine and we both gasp in pleasure.

"Don't even think about it…"

I look up in annoyance to see Ji-Hoo glowering at us from the doorway as Boo Ki quickly hops off of my lap in embarrassment. Falling back on the bed in defeat, I growl at the ceiling in frustration. I already have a major hard on.

_Damn cockblocker…_

**(^_^)**

**JI-YONG'S POV:**

"Hi Ji! How are you?" Cora comes bouncing up to me the moment I walk in.

"I'm good, Miss Jennings." I say politely and try to move around her but she blocks me.

"Ji how many times do I have to tell you to call me Cora?"

"I'm sorry Miss but I can't do that." Trying to move around her on, she once again blocks me. Grabbing onto her shoulders I firmly move her aside so that I can pass but she latches herself onto my arm.

"Come on Ji! There's no need to be so formal with me! Plus you promised me you would teach me how to speak Korean."

Looking down at her in shock, I pry her grip from my arm. "I never promised you that! If you will please excuse me."

"But-"

"Cora please stop harassing my bodyguard." Lydia regally says as she exits her office. Cora has been Lydia's secretary for the past two years and I'm honestly surprised Lydia keeps her around. They are like night and day. But even though Cora is loud and obnoxious with me, she is reserved and professional when she does her job. That still doesn't stop her from pouting when she has to return to her desk.

"I'm here to escort you home Miss Churchill." I say and she nods her head curtly. I fall into place behind her as James leaves his post at the door to lead her out of the building to the car.

This is an easy job for the most part. Lydia keeps to herself and mostly stays at home. She occasionally attends classical music concerts but that is the extent of her activities other than work. There are six of us in total protecting her. Four at all times with two on standby to relieve the others for rest in shifts. Why she feels the need to have so many bodyguards is unknown to me. I suspect she has something to hide. Call it a gut instinct or whatever but I don't like her. Unfortunately for me she seems to have taken a liking to me and keeps me closer than the others. Hopefully I will hear back from one of the other jobs I applied for last week. Then I won't have to work for her anymore.

Sitting in the passenger seat of the car, I scan the area for anything suspicious while we are stuck in traffic. I'm glad James is driving. I don't have enough patience for that shit. My eyes wander over several expensive apartment buildings when I see a woman with dark red hair get out of a car. Red hair is pretty common here but I can tell this woman is Asian. My heart practically stops as I watch her enter the building with two guys. I only managed to catch a glimpse of her face but it looked like…

Sensing my tension, James looks at me and tries to find what I'm looking at.

"Is everything okay Ji?" He asks and I nod my head as I quickly compose myself.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. False alarm."

I may look calm on the outside but inside I am in turmoil. _Get a hold of yourself, Ji. There is no way… It can't possibly be…_


	20. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER 19**

**WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT **

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

I watch Ji-Hoo remove my stitches with anticipation. My sexual frustration is about to explode. Finally after a week of jacking off in the shower, I can finally make love to my girlfriend again.

"Please still try to take it easy Woo Bin-ah." Ji-Hoo says with a smirk and I give him a greasy smile.

"You have no idea how hard it has been to keep my hands off of you, Ji-Hoo-yah." I say and reach for him. He dodges my hands and runs out the door as I leap off the bed after him. Ji-Hoo barely misses running into Boo Ki as I jump over the coffee table to grab him from behind. He grimaces in annoyance as I hug him tightly from behind and rub my cheek against his.

"Am I interrupting something?" Boo Ki says through barely restrained laughter. Ji-Hoo rolls his eyes and tries to pull away but I tighten my grip.

"Come on Ji-Hoo. I know you missed my hugs too. Don't deny it!" I say with a grin and he looks ready to vomit. He's never been an affectionate person and doesn't really like being touched by anyone except Saia. But being the adorable and cuddly friend that I am, I will forever be determined to get him used to my hugs even if it takes the rest of our lives.

"Woo Bin-ah… You should let him go now. He looks nauseous." Boo Ki chuckles. Letting him go, Ji-Hoo takes a few steps away and turns to glare at me.

"Oh don't look at me like that, Ji-Hoo-yah. I know you liked it." I say with a grin.

He sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets, clearly irritated with me. "I am going to the theater again tonight. I'm hoping Lydia will be there this time."

For the past week, Ji-Hoo has gone to the theater in hopes of spotting Lydia Churchill. Boo Ki has gone with him a couple of times but they have yet to see her there.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Boo Ki asks but Ji-Hoo just shakes his head.

"No. Keep this idiot busy for awhile. I know you two are about to go up in smoke since you have had to wait this long. I won't be back till late so try not to break anything. Okay?"

Boo Ki's face is as red as a tomato at Ji-Hoo's words but she only nods in agreement. I bite my lips to keep from laughing and my body starts to pulse with excitement. I intend to keep her very busy tonight.

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

"I hope you find something tonight. It would be nice to be able to get to work." I tell Ji-Hoo and he nods at me.

"I won't be back till late tonight. Try not to be too rough on him. Arasso?" He murmurs with a mischievous glint in his eye. I can feel my face burning as I nod my head in agreement.

The moment the door is completely closed, I am spun around and pressed up against it. Woo Bin's lips crash against mine and my arms slide around his neck. It's a bruising kiss and it arouses me even more. I gasp as he rips my T-Shirt off of me as his tongue battles mine. He unclasps my bra and it is quickly discarded on the floor as my hands yank on his shirt. Buttons fly everywhere as I shove the offending garment off.

His firm chest is hot beneath my palms and I feel every inch of it. A deep groan rumbles through his chest as he releases my mouth to latch onto my right breast. I gasp at the pleasure that courses through my body as his wicked mouth nips and suckles first one breast, then the other like a starving man. Grinding my pelvis against his thigh, I reach for the button of his jeans and unfasten it. Once the button and zipper are undone, I slide my hand inside and grip his hard length. Woo Bin hisses in pleasure and releases my breast to rest his forehead on mine.

Grabbing the waistband of his pants, he jerks them off along with his underwear and reaches for my jeans. Once they are finally gone, my heart pounds with anticipation as he lifts me up and presses me against the wall. I wrap my legs around his waist as he rubs his hard length against my clothed mound. His mouth crashes against mine and I whimper with need as he reaches between us to play with my clit.

_I just want him inside of me…right now!_ My mind screams. Grabbing his member, I rub his tip with my thumb. He groans again and I gasp as he rips off my underwear.

"Woo Bin-ah…" I gasp as he slams inside of me. He feels so good, his dick thrusts hard and deep. My back slams against the door with each thrust and the pain only adds to pleasure. I suck harshly on his neck to cover my moans.

"God you feel so perfect wrapped around me." He pants in my ear. "Come with me."

I scream in pleasure against his throat as my climax crashes into me and with a harsh shout, he comes with me. My body tingles with pleasure and I moan as he slowly withdraws from me. He chuckles and kisses my forehead.

"Don't worry baby. I will be deep inside you again once we actually make it to our bed." He says with a smirk. Seeing our strewn and ripped clothes around us, I can't help but laugh.

"What if we don't make it that far?" I ask.

"Then Ji-Hoo will be in for quite a surprise."

**(^_^)**

Sipping my coffee, I smile to myself as I look out the window. It's a little late to be having coffee but I woke up late thanks to Woo Bin. Last night was amazing. I lost count of how many times we made love. Thank god we reached the bedroom before Ji-Hoo got home. It would have been embarrassing if he walked in on us. Woo Bin didn't of care if Ji-Hoo saw us or not but once I asked him if he wanted Ji-Hoo to see me naked, he quickly moved us into our room.

"We are out of milk. We should probably run to a grocery store later." Woo Bin says with a yawn as he eats his cereal. He's become rather fond of cereal since he and Ji-Hoo left Seoul. He eats it all the time.

"I'll go right now. It'll give me a chance to get some fresh air." I say as I turn towards our room to change my clothes. He grabs my wrist and pulls me towards him, his sleepy gaze piercing into my own.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" He says and taps his lips with his finger. I smile and peck him on the lips. Satisfied, he lets me go and turns back to his bowl.

As I exit the building, I notice a man across the street watching our building but I pay little attention to him. I'm too happy right now.

After picking up the milk and a few other things at the store, I make my way home. I admire the neighborhood and the buildings. London really is beautiful. I need to get out and explore. It has a fascinating history. I should read up on it too.

As I approach our apartment, I notice that the man from across the street is now leaning against a car right in front of the building. His blonde hair shines in the sunlight and I vaguely realize that he's Asian. He seems handsome. Shrugging inwardly, I reach for the door when his voice calls out to me.

"Ki-yah?"

I freeze and my heart starts to pound in my chest. Only one person calls me by that name. I slowly turn around and finally really look at this man, hope blossoming in my chest as I search his face.

"Ji-yah?" I whisper. I am suddenly engulfed into a tight hug and my eyes start to burn with tears. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, dongsaeng-ah. It's me. I've missed you so much."

**(^_^) **

Tightly gripping Ji-Yong's hand, I lead him out of the elevator towards the apartment. I can hardly keep my eyes off of him. My brother has grown up to be so handsome. The suit he is wearing makes him look so professional too. He smiles down at me and releases my hand to wrap his arm around my shoulder.

There are so many things I want to ask him and I can't wait for him to meet Woo Bin.

Ji-Yong carries the grocery bags for me like the gentleman he is and I unlock the door. Making our way inside, Woo Bin approaches me with a bright smile but it quickly falls when he sees the man behind me, Ji's arm still around my shoulders. Woo Bin's eyes narrow and he clenches his jaw.

_Geez he gets jealous so easy…_

"Woo Bin-ah. I want you to meet someone very important to me. This is my brother, Ji-Yong. Ji-yah this is Song Woo Bin, my boyfriend." Ji-Yong walk towards him with a ready smile on his face but I can see he's already assessing Woo Bin to see if he is "worthy" to date his sister. Woo Bin's eyes are as round as saucers as looks at me questioningly.

"Y-your brother?" he asks.

"Yep. But don't worry. I'm the nice one." Ji says with a smirk as he shakes Woo Bin's hand.

"Who's this?" Ji-Hoo asks as he walks in from the kitchen.

"This is my brother, Ji-Yong. Ji, this is my friend Ji-Hoo." I say as Ji bows his head in greeting and Ji-Hoo does the same.

"I came to see my sister. We haven't seen each other in 9 years. We have a lot to talk about."

**(^_^)**

Over the next few hours, Ji-Yong and I talk about what has happened in our lives over the years we have been apart. I explain everything about how I escaped our family, meeting Woo Bin, and fill him in on Saia's life as well. Saia and Ji-Yong were close. He had a huge soft spot for her when we were kids. Ji-Hoo goes to his room to let us catch up but Woo Bin sits right next to me the entire time. He says very little as I talk to my brother even when Ji tries to involve him in our conversation.

"So what are you doing in London? I doubt you would be renting an apartment for a vacation." Ji says with a smile. Woo Bin tenses beside me and I grip his hand.

"We are actually here to see someone." I tell him.

"Boo Ki-" Woo Bin hisses.

"I trust my brother." I say. Woo Bin gets up and walks away.

"I haven't decided whether or not I like this boyfriend of yours." Ji says as he watches him leave.

"He's a good guy but the last year has been tough on him. We are here because of a woman named Lydia Churchill. She's involved with some corrupt people and they tried to kill Saia."

"WHAT?! Our little Sai?"

"Yes. They are involved with our family, Ji." At that, his face went blank. "I know that going up against our family isn't wise but I have to protect the people that I love. And that includes you."

"I believe you that Lydia Churchill is bad news. I've always thought that she was dirty."

"Do you know her?" I ask.

"Actually it's worse than that. I'm her bodyguard." He says with a chuckle. My jaw drops and I stare at him.

"Are you serious? We have been trying to find a way to get close to her."

"Well you can't get much closer than me. I'm her favorite. No idea why. I can't stand her."

I smile at him and can't believe our luck. Not only have I finally been reunited with my brother but he is close to our target. It's perfect.

"We need to make a plan. What do you want to do to her?" He asked.

"We just want to put her behind bars. Do you have any information that could help us do that?"

"No. Lydia is a very smart and cautious woman."

I get Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin so we can sit down to work on a plan of action. Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin are pleased to hear that Ji-Yong is one of Lydia's bodyguards.

After hours of planning we finally decide to use Lydia's preference for Ji-Yong to our advantage. He has already gone through her computers and didn't find anything. So our other option is to tap into her phones and record her conversations. The wired phones are easy but the cell phones will have to be tapped wirelessly while the call is being made, which means we will have to know when she is on the phone and have to be close by.

"We can take shifts and follow her around. Since Ji is her bodyguard he can let us know where and when she will be at all times. Plus keep anyone's eyes off of us as well." Ji-Hoo explained.

"I'll take care of her land line phones tonight. She leaves for her office every morning at 8am so be ready." Ji replied as he wrote down the addresses of Lydia's home and her office.

"I'll take the first shift and get things set up on the computer." Ji-Hoo adds after he hands Ji-Yong the equipment. My brother stands up to leave and I follow him towards the door. I wish he didn't have to leave but he has to go do his job. We will have plenty of time to talk once this is finished. We all agreed it would be best to work as quickly as possible.

"Looks like we are working together again, Ki-yah. It feels good being on the good guy's team doesn't it?"

"Yes Ji-yah. It really does."

**A/N: Okay I know things are moving a bit fast but I have a reason for it. The next chapter was written before this one and I'm anxious to put it out to hear what all of you think. Things are going to get crazy. Are you ready? ^_~**


	21. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER 20**

**[SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA]**

**GA-EUL'S POV:**

I am in love with the two most handsome men in Seoul. One is my husband. The other is our gorgeous son Min Jae. I watch them in adoration as I walk behind them.

MJ gurgles happily as his father carries him in his arms around the Museum. We are currently making plans for a new exhibit of traditional Korean art and even though the date for the grand opening is fast approaching, we bring Min Jae with us everywhere. We both don't want to be parted from him and leaving him at home with a nanny is unacceptable to Yi-Jung. He wants to raise our son together and doesn't want him to have the same life that he and his friends had. It makes me love my husband even more.

As we turn the corner towards the pottery section, we are suddenly surrounded by several of Mr. Song's men.

"Sir, we have to get you and your family out of here now." One of them says and quickly begins to drag us towards the exit. My heart pounds with fear as I hold on tightly to Yi-Jung's hand.

Suddenly the glass on a display case shatters beside us and I scream in fear. Two of the guards quickly cover us and continue to drag us towards the exit. The other three remain behind and I glance behind me to see them begin to fall to the ground one by one. Blood pools around them and I feel myself grow faint. The last thing I see before we are pulled out the door is a masked figure watching me with the coldest eyes I have ever seen and I shiver in fear.

Once we are safely in the car, I huddle up against my husband, putting a protect arm around my son. I feel like crying but I'm too shocked by what just happened. I check my son over and over again for any wounds as my body starts to shake uncontrollably. Yi-Jung is just as shocked as I am. His face is pale as he kisses my forehead in comfort.

"What happened? What's going on?" Yi-Jung finally asks the men. These two have been our bodyguards since Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin died. I've come to know them pretty well and they look worried. The car speeds through the streets of Seoul and I have no idea where we are going.

"You will have to ask the Boss, Sir. We were just told you were in danger and to get you to the airport immediately."

"What about the others?" I ask, my voice shaking.

"…We aren't sure."

**(^_^)**

**JUN PYO'S POV:**

It's been a long day and my head hurts. I just want to get home to Jan Di and relax. Knowing her though, she is probably still at the clinic. It frustrates me when she isn't home with me. I need to get her pregnant so she will be too busy with our children to work… But then she won't have enough time for me…

_Aish! That wife of mine is so infuriating!_

When she gets home, I'm going to make it clear that she has to spend more time with me. No more neglecting her handsome husband! So many girls would die to be in her shoes! She should be more grateful!

Glancing in irritation at my unwanted bodyguards, I step outside of the building and I am suddenly grabbed by my arms and dragged towards the car.

"YAH! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!" I yell angrily but suddenly the man on my left releases me, half of his face missing from a gunshot. Another man quickly covers me and I am shoved into the waiting car. My legs feel like jelly as the car speeds off, memories of Ji-Hoo's white Escalade in flames fill my head along with my bodyguard's bloody face.

Digging my phone out of my pocket, I quickly dial Jan Di's number and throw my phone across the car in frustration when it goes directly to voicemail.

"What about Jan Di?" I bark at my men and one of them is talking rapidly into his cell phone.

"Mr. Song's men have already been sent to protect her, Sir."

"AND? WHERE IS SHE?" I roar.

"We are trying to reach them, Sir. We haven't heard back from them yet."

"Take me to the clinic."

"We can't do that, Sir."

"YOU WORK FOR ME GOD-DAMMIT! YOU'LL DO WHAT I TELL YOU!" I snarl but with a sinking heart I realize that they won't listen to me.

**(^_^)**

**JAN DI'S POV:**

Looking around the empty clinic in satisfaction, I reach for my bag and look forward to getting home. I'll be happy to have dinner. I'm starving! And maybe Jun Pyo will be home to eat with me tonight. We've both been pretty busy lately. I miss him and his annoying voice.

I turn off the lights and lock the door behind me when suddenly a hand clamps over my mouth as I am dragged into the shadows of the building. I squirm desperately against my captor but his voice makes me go still against him.

"Please be quiet. I'm one of Mr. Song's men. You are in danger."

I recognize his voice. He's one of the men that Mr. Song assigned to protect me. Hearing a scuffle, I look up to see two men fighting a masked figure. The masked man raises a gun towards me and I am suddenly spun around. The man holding me uses his body to shield me from the shot. I feel him shudder but he grabs my arm and starts to run.

Throwing me inside the back seat of a black sedan, he leaps in after me and the car takes off. My bodyguard grips his shoulder in pain and I grab my bag. Everything that just happened is spinning crazily in my mind as I rip his shirt to get to the wound. I would be dead right now if it wasn't for him.

Years of being in the E.R. help my mind focus on the task at hand and not freak out but a million questions are going through my head.

"What's going on? Why was he after me?"

"I'm not sure." He says through gritted teeth.

"We just received a call from the boss that you were in danger and to get you out of there." The driver says. I swallow hard and nod my head.

"What about the others?"

"We're not sure. We'll find out soon." The driver replies and speeds through a red light.

"YAH! SLOW DOWN! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL SOMEBODY DRIVING LIKE THAT!" I shout angrily.

**(^_^)**

**DK'S POV:**

_She is so beautiful…_

Whatever I have done in a previous life to deserve a girlfriend like Jae Kyung must have been something pretty fantastic. She's tough and funny with an innocence that melts my heart. She is an amazing woman.

My life so far hasn't been pretty but ever since I was assigned to be Saia's bodyguard, my life has gotten so much better. I haven't had to be in any fights or beat up anyone. I just have to protect her and honestly, I would gladly lay down my life for Saia. She has become like a sister to me and a valued friend.

I watch the two most important women in my life as they shop and like most men, I am completely bored out of my mind but I keep myself alert to anything that may want to cause them any harm. Jae Kyung's personal bodyguards keep their distance per their mistress's orders while I stay fairly close to Saia. I know these girls can pack a punch if needed but something about today has me on edge.

The girls walk inside a restaurant for lunch and I follow closely behind. It's another hole in the wall kind of place in a questionable part of town that Jae Kyung loves for some reason. I really wish they would stick to the better parts of town. Too much can go wrong here.

My phone starts to ring and I answer it when I see that it's Mr. Song. The reception in the restaurant is bad and I can't hear him so I step outside.

"What was that, Sir?"

"She's in danger! Get her out of there!"

Sprinting back inside, I make my way back to their table but they are gone. A loud crash comes from the kitchen and I bolt through the door. Jae Kyung is on the floor holding her head in pain. Her bodyguards hover protectively around her. Chen, the female bodyguard, points towards the exit and without a word I bolt for the door. Two men are running after Saia as she races around the corner and I sprint after them.

Following them into an abandoned building, my eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness. Making my way into a large room full of crates I look around desperately for any sign of them, my ears straining for any sound that could lead me to Saia.

The wind is suddenly knocked out of me as a lead pipe slams into my chest. I crumple to floor and barely dodge the foot aimed at my head as I roll away. I gasp for air as a foot lands solidly into my chest. My lungs feel like they are on fire as I manage to dodge his next blow and tackle him to the ground. We exchange blows to each other's face as we struggle to get the upper hand. He's stronger than me but I'm now pissed off and I am going to kill this mother fucker for attacking my girls.

A gunshot rings throughout the room and the bullet ricochets off of several metal containers.

My attacker manages to slam that damn pipe against my shoulder before I rip it out of his hands. All those years of baseball seem to pay off as I swing the pipe and connect solidly with his skull. With a crack, he spins around and crumples unconscious to the floor.

Something is on fire and I cough against the smoke. Stumbling towards the direction of the gunshot I desperately looking for Saia and the other attacker as the fire starts to spread. _I need to get her out of here now!_ I realize as the fire creeps towards several large oxygen tanks.

I hear her shout and finally spot her as her attacker manages to block her kick. She's still holding her own but she's still not completely healthy and her exhaustion is showing. I sprint towards her in desperation as the man finally lands a blow to her shoulder and she spins away from him in pain.

But before I can reach her, a powerful explosion pushes me through the air and into a glass window. It shatters with my impact and I hit the ground rolling with the momentum of the blast. My clothes and hair are singed, glass is embedded in my skin, and I can feel burns on my exposed flesh but nothing compares to the pain in my heart as I look up at the building in front of me. Two more powerful explosions shake the structure as it is engulfed in flames.

_I was too late…_

**(^_^)**

**MR. SONG'S POV:**

I end my call to Woo Bin and look up as several black cars begin to pull up beside my private jet. It is essential that I get these kids out of Seoul immediately. I've decided to put them under the protection of another Mafia leader. He's a good friend and we frequently do business together. He is someone that the Maeng's or these damn "Associates" would never suspect. It will give us time to decide on a plan of action. I've also decided that it's time to tell the other F4 members what has really been going on.

Yi-Jung and his family step out of the car looking very shaken and tired. I pat his shoulder and nod towards the jet.

"Get in. We need to leave. I'll explain everything soon."

Jun Pyo practically tackles his poor wife the moment they both step out of their cars. But when a very pale and torn up DK emerges with Jae Kyung my heart starts to sink. He's in bad shape and Saia isn't with him. Jan Di manages to pry Jun Pyo off of her and runs to check on DK as I quickly approach him.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"There was an explosion. I was too late." He gasped. His eyes are full of pain and shock. I cringe inwardly at the glass imbedded in his flesh and the burns all over him. His face is beaten up too. I've seen much worse of course but it's always harder to see one of MY men in this state. DK protected Saia like he would his sister. He became very attached to her. I can see he blames himself. But nothing can be done right now.

"I've sent people to check out the building. Maybe she..." Jae Kyung trailed off as DK shook his head miserably.

"Let's get all of you on board so that we can take off and Jan Di can take care of your wounds." Two of my men help him into the plane and once everyone is situated, the plane takes off.

Everyone is silent, even Min Jae. I look around at their tired and worried faces. Why has it come to this? They are too young to die. These boys feel like my sons, like my family. Even though I was too busy when they were growing up to spend time with them, I still kept a close eye on them. I've protected them from my place in the shadows, wanting to ensure their safety from the evil in this world. I want a better life for my son than what I've had. I am determined to give it to him.

But first, I need to make them all safe again.

"I think the best place to start, is the night of Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin's 'death'. It's time all of you know what really happened…" I begin.

**(^_^)**

**[LONDON]**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

My phone rings and I look down at it in surprise to see that my dad is calling me. Before I can greet him properly his voice reaches my ears.

"Everyone has been compromised Son. You need to drop whatever you are doing and go to the address I'm sending you right now. It's our safe house in London."

"I understand. What's happened?" I ask as I go to get Ji-Hoo.

"I'll explain everything once we get there."

"We?"

"I have to go. I'll see you soon." He says and the line goes dead.

_We? Who is he bringing with him?_

"Ji-Hoo we're leaving now. We may have been compromised." I say and march towards the door with him quickly at my heels. I dial Boo Ki's number and I am relieved when she answers her phone.

"Baby, I need you to meet me at the address I just sent to your phone. Bring Ji-Yong with you. We may have been compromised."

"What? How?"

"I don't know. My father is on his way here. He should have some answers."

"Arrasso. I'm on my way."

"Be safe. Saranghae."

"You as well. Nado Saranghae."

We hang up as Ji-Hoo and I slide into the car. Something is off. I can feel it. It worries me. No one knew about our little operation so what the hell happened?

**(^_^)**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

_This is bad._

Ji and I have both been uneasy all day. Now I know why.

We have been following Lydia for the past three days without being sighted but after Woo Bin's call, I no longer care if anyone sees me approach him. I'm not leaving without my brother.

Ji-Yong isn't with the other bodyguards today. He's been assigned to watch the crowd at the top of the stairs as the other guards escort her into the building. Today is an important voting day and Lydia is here to greet her supporters. There's a huge crowd and I'm lucky that he is in a secluded spot.

"Ji we need to leave. Now." I whisper once I reach him. He turns to look at me in confusion when suddenly a shot rings out from above us. Lydia crumples to the floor and people scream in terror. My eyes widen in shock as blood begins to pool on the floor.

_Lydia Churchill is dead…_

**A/N: Shit… Is it sad that this author is excited/nervous about what is going to happen next? It's not like I don't know! But still… lol**


	22. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER 21**

**[LONDON, ENGLAND]**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

"What the fuck?" Ji-Yong shouts and starts to move towards Lydia but I grab his arm. Four men dressed from head to toe in black are approaching us. They are here to capture us. Ji- looks over his shoulder at the men and sighs in frustration.

"What do you idiots want? Sorry guys but I'm not interested. I know I'm irresistible to all genders but I prefer women." He smirks and pops his knuckles.

"Ji!" I hiss. "That mouth of yours hasn't changed."

"What can I say, Ki? It's one of my more charming qualities."

I chuckle in disgust and roll to the ground as one of the men lunges at me. Swinging my foot up, I connect with his jaw and send him flying down the two flights of stairs. The other man manages to block me as I swing at him. He holds my fist tightly is his hand and tries to twist me around. I knee him in the groin and backhand him, sending him to the ground.

_Too easy._ I muse and watch Ji. He somehow got his hands on a cord from the drapes on the widow beside him. He wraps it around his attacker's throat and with a quick wall kick he propels himself up and over a wooden beam across the hallway. The rope is now over the beam and the man is now dangling in the air, gasping for breath. Ji ties the rope to a statue, leaving him hanging there. The last attacker is already impaled against a suit of armor with a spear in his chest.

"Creative as always I see." I murmur with a raised eyebrow.

"You know me. I never like to do anything the same way twice." Ji says with a shrug and we start to run as we hear footsteps approaching us. A bullet grazes my shoulder as we dash around a corner and through another hallway.

"I know a way out but you're not going to like it!" Ji shouts as we turn down yet another hallway.

"We don't have many options!" I reply. He points to a huge window that we are fast approaching.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I pant.

"JUMP!" He yells.

I curl into a ball, covering my head and face with my arms as we both collide against the glass. It shatters and we start to fall. Quickly straightening out my body, I hit the water as quietly as I can. Obviously they will know we went out the window but we need to keep our position hidden.

The murky river makes it hard to see but I keep close to Ji as we swim away. My lungs start to scream for oxygen but I follow him till I can't stand it anymore. I kick to the surface and gratefully gasp for air. Ji surfaces with me and we look around us. The building is at a safe distance and we swim towards the shore.

"We need to get to Woo Bin's safe house." I tell him and pull out my phone. Thankfully the case I have it in is waterproof. I look at the address Woo Bin sent me but before I can input it into the GPS my phone starts to ring. The number is blocked but I answer it anyways.

"Hello?"

"The mask is broken." A familiar voice says and my heart breaks. Those words are a code. My cover has been blown. That means I have only one choice left.

"I understand." I manage to say and the line goes dead.

"Who was that?" Ji asks.

"Aunt Mo Nae. I can't go back to Woo Bin." My phone beeps with a new address. I swallow the lump in my throat and look at Ji-Yong. "I have to finish this once and for all. Mo Nae and I made a plan that if we were ever compromised, we would face the family head on."

"Are you fucking crazy? That's suicide!"

"We are pretty much dead anyways so we might as well take the fight to them and take the first swing. But it means walking away from everything and….everyone….else."

"…"He turns away from me, running his hands through his wet hair in frustration.

"They are going to kill me no matter what Ji. But if I can at least take some of them out first, it would make it a little easier to accept. I want my friends to be safe."

"There is no way in fucking hell you are doing this without me." He snarls and spins around. "But let's get one thing straight. You are not going to die. If I have to sell my soul to Satan himself, you are going to walk away from this unharmed. Do you fucking understand me?"

"Ji-Yong-"

"Let's go." He cuts me off and drags me down the street. Once we reach the address, we find a door with a keypad. I enter a code and the door unlocks. Inside is a room full of equipment and cash.

"Nice!" Ji says with a nod as he admires the different kinds of knives.

"Mo Nae will contact us in the next few hours." I murmur as I pull my SIM card out of my phone and destroy it. I pull out a new phone from a drawer and power it on. Even though I can no longer use my own phone, I am going to keep it. It has pictures of Saia and Woo Bin. It has memories that I want to keep close to me.

"You will be with him again, Ki. I promise." Ji says and rubs my shoulders.

"I hope so. But it's time to gear up and get ready to leave. I'm pissed off, Ji. Why can't they just leave us the fuck alone?"

"Because they're bastards. That's why."

**(^_^)**

**SAIA'S POV:**

The pain from the blow to my shoulder spins me away from my attacker and I grip it in pain. As I try to turn back towards him, a sudden explosion knocks us both to the ground. The metal crates beside me protect me from the blast but that asshole wasn't so lucky. Scrambling to my feet, I run for the nearest door as I hear another blast behind me. Yanking on the door, I sprint out of the building and a hand wraps around my arm to pull me towards a car.

"Aunt Mo Nae!" I gasp.

"Get in." she commands and I slide into the passenger seat. Once she pulls away, I pull out my phone but she takes it from me and powers it off. I know better than to cross her so I keep quiet. She will speak to me when she is ready. I'm worried about Jae Kyung though. She took a bad hit to the head.

I can see Mo Nae watching me closely from the corner of her eye.

"I already called Boo Ki. Broken mask is in effect." She says and my blood runs cold. So this is it then. It's time to finally face the evil that has haunted my best friend her entire life.

"You look like hell. How far along are you?" She asks and I look at her in confusion. "The baby. How far along are you?"

"Aunt Mo Nae, I'm not…" _wait…the last day I was in New York, Ji-Hoo and I didn't use protection when we made love…and my last period was…__**OH…MY…GOD…**_ I stare at her in shock. _I'm pregnant?_ Thinking back the fatigue, the sickness, and my sensitive smell all make sense now.

_**I'm pregnant…**_

"I see you didn't realize it. I need to find a safe place for you to go. We will change your identity-"

"Wait! I'm coming with you! There is no way I am letting you two go alone!" I interrupt.

"Saia, you are carrying a child now. You need to think about the baby. This is a suicide mission. It will only get the both of you killed."

"I'm going to die anyway right? They will still come looking for me. I can go to Ji-Hoo and get everyone killed or I can fight to save the people that I love. That includes you and Boo Ki. I'm not very far along. I can still train and still be an asset. You need me. I'm the better shot and you know it. Neither of you can sniper as well as I can."

"What about the baby's father? If you leave with us, you leave everything behind. He will never know what happened to you. He may never know about his child." She counters. I swallow hard and nod my head.

"I know. But this is the right thing to do. I want to do this."

Mo Nae sighs and gives me a stiff nod.

"Boo Ki can't know about the baby. It will be a distraction to her. You won't start showing for a while so we will have to keep it under wraps as best we can. BUT you will do EXACTLY what I tell you and you will not take any unnecessary risks. Arrasso?"

"Yes, Auntie."

_Ji-Hoo…god I'm sorry for doing this to you again…but they are my family too and I owe them so much…I will see you again…I know it…mianhae…_

**(^_^)**

**WOO BIN'S POV:**

_Where the fuck are they?!_

It's been hours since I called Boo Ki and they still haven't arrived at the safe house. Her phone is turned off and we saw the news about Lydia Churchill. That place has been in utter chaos from the moment she was killed. It doesn't make sense for this to be the Maeng family. It's too public and sloppy. So maybe it was one of her enemies? But why then would my father say we have been compromised at almost the same moment of this attack. It's too much of a coincidence.

To top it off, the apartment we were staying in has been totally ransacked.

_Fucking fantastic 24 hours…_

Hearing a commotion at the door, Ji-Hoo and I are on our feet and moving towards the entryway. Before I can even process what I am seeing, I am engulfed in a choking embrace as Jun Pyo grabs me into a hug. I stare in shock over his shoulder at Ji-Hoo who is being tightly hugged by Yi-Jung. He looks as bewildered as I do.

"J-Jun Pyo?" I stammer. He pulls away but grips my shoulders tightly.

"Yah! How could you go off and do all of this alone? Do you have any idea what you have put us through?" he seems angry but his eyes are watery and his voice shakes with emotion.

"We were trying to protect you." I tell him.

"It isn't much different than you going off to rescue Jan Di alone without telling us, Jun Pyo." Ji-Hoo logically states.

"YAH! That was different…" He trails off.

"You still should have trusted us. I thought I knew you better." Yi-Jung pointedly says as he approaches me. "I've missed you bro."

"Mianhae. (I'm sorry.)" I whisper. My eyes start to burn as I fiercely hug my best friend. I pull away to really look at him and I can see the hurt in his eyes. We have a lot of explaining to do. I look over at Jun Pyo who has Ji-Hoo in a headlock and I suddenly feel very protective of my quiet friend.

"Yah! Jun Pyo, let him go! You know he hates that!" I scold him. Ji-Hoo smiles gratefully at me as Jun Pyo lets him go. It's only then that I notice everyone else. My father, Jae Kyung, Jan Di, Ga-Eul, and the baby but it's DK that grabs both Ji-Hoo and I's attention. He looks like hell. He's heavily bandaged and being supported by one of my father's men along with Jae Kyung. Ji-Hoo looks around expectantly for Saia but she isn't here. I move to stand by him in support as I look at my father.

"Where's Saia?"

My father's face is grim as he shakes his head. "I honestly don't know. They were all attacked at the same time. We lost some good men in the fight. DK is lucky to be alive."

"You lost her? Has she tried to call anyone?" I ask with a worried glance at Ji-Hoo.

"No. Her phone has been off since the explosion. I have people searching the area now but… it's pretty bad." My father says and Ji-Hoo bolts for the door. I grab his arm to stop him and he spins around to face me.

"I am going back to look for her. I won't lose her. Not now damn it. Not after everything we have done and fought for and been through. You can't stop me Woo Bin-ah. I AM NOT GOING TO FUCKING LOSE HER GOD DAMNIT!" Ji-Hoo snarls. His body is shaking with rage and everyone stares at him in shock. They haven't seen Ji-Hoo like this but I have. Even Yi-Jung and Jun Pyo seem taken aback. I keep my eyes calmly locked with Ji-Hoo's as raw emotion continues to play across his face.

"Ji-Hoo-" Jun Pyo tries to place his hand on his shoulder but Ji-Hoo knocks it away.

"I don't want your pity Jun Pyo."

Jun Pyo balls his hand into a fist but before he can open his mouth Jan Di steps in front of him and utters a quiet "Don't."

"Boo Ki is missing too, Ji-Hoo. So is Yi-Jong. These people moved fast. They knew where and when to strike at all of us and for some reason they took out Lydia too. They coordinated the attack so that we were all hit at the same time. I am going to make them pay for this. I'm going to Italy and I am going after these bastards tonight. I want you to come with me Ji-Hoo. I can't do this without you, bro."

Ji-Hoo stares at me and his eyes take on a determined glint. He nods his head and I lightly slap his shoulder in thanks.

"You're not going without us." Jun Pyo says. I open my mouth to object but Yi-Jung stops me.

"We all have something to fight for and to protect. You both may have started this alone but we will end this together." He says and squeezes my shoulder.

"What about Boo Ki and Saia?" Jae Kyung asks.

"My men and I will find out what happened to them and the Mafia here will keep the rest of you safe while the boys are gone. Plus we will try to stir up some trouble. We'll see if we can get Angiolo Botticelli to come out of hiding."

"Please find Saia and Boo Ki father." I've always been strong in front of my father but for the first time I can feel my voice break with emotion as I pleadingly look into his eyes.

None of this will mean anything if we lose the women that we love.


	23. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER 22**

**[ROME, ITALY. 1 MONTH LATER]**

**BOO KI'S POV:**

I can feel Lorenzo's disgusting breath against my neck as he tries to grope me from behind. Don't get me wrong, he's a handsome man but a total grease ball. Plus he isn't Woo Bin. I miss him so much. I hate letting this guy touch me but there was no way in hell I was going to let Saia do this. This is my problem and if I am going to find out where Botticelli and the Maeng family are hiding, then I have to do things I don't like. I refuse to sleep with this guy though. That's when booze and drugs come in very handy.

Yi-Jung and Jun Pyo arrived in Rome two weeks ago and they weren't very quiet about it. As for Woo Bin and Ji-Hoo, we received word that they arrived shortly after we did but they have been keeping a low profile. My guess is that they are using Yi-Jung and Jun Pyo as bait and as a distraction. Basically flaunting Botticelli's failed assassination attempts in his face. Since they are constantly in the public eye, Botticelli would be a fool to try it again.

I wish we could work with Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin but they have already been noticed and are being followed. We have yet to be discovered and it has to stay that way. I don't know if anyone realizes who Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin really are but someone at least knows that they are suspicious. Even after Mo Nae loudly forbade us from getting involved, we still try to keep a close eye on them. I don't want them to be hurt.

I look down at the dance floor at Saia and Ji as they dance sensually with the music. I know it's all for show but I have to admit that they do dance really well together. They are watching the crowd, looking for anyone that might be of use to us.

I am so grateful to Ji-Yong for being protective of Saia. She is like a sister to him as well and we don't want to lose her. As much as I trust her to be able to defend herself, I don't want her to be in a dangerous position if it can be avoided. But I am happy she is here. She is a valuable asset. None of us can shoot as well as her. It's nice knowing that she has our back.

"Come, il mio amore(my love)! Let us have another drink!" Lorenzo whispers in my ear. I reluctantly allow him to pull me away towards our table and join the rest of his friends. I really hope this weasel lets something important slip soon because I really just want to castrate him…

_Stay focused, Ki. Do your job._

**(^_^)**

**SAIA'S POV:**

The club is loud and busy. The place is packed. Swaying my hips to the music, I dance with Ji-Yong as we keep our eyes open for anyone of interest. Ji keeps an arm protectively wrapped around me to keep other guys away. It doesn't make me uncomfortable. I know he's just trying to keep me safe and I'm grateful. I don't like how some of them look at me but I feel safe with Ji-Yong.

_Little does he know he's protecting two of us. _I muse.

Only Mo Nae knows about my condition. Ji and Boo Ki have been left in the dark. I want to tell Ki so bad. She's my best friend. But I know that it isn't the right time.

"Let's get something to drink!" Ji yells in my ear over the music. I nod and he takes my hand to lead me off the dance floor. He leans protectively against me as we wait for the bartender and I look at our reflection in the mirror behind the bar. Ji nods his head to the music as I stare at our reflection. I don't recognize myself. It scares me really. My make-up, my clothes, my colored contacts, and especially my jet black hair make me look like a totally different person.

The bartender gives us our drinks and I slowly sip on my club soda as I look up at the VIP room that Boo Ki and our current target are located. His name is Lorenzo Corelli and he is Angiolo Botticelli's right hand man. Boo Ki has been getting close to Lorenzo and he likes her very much. He even believes they slept together but Boo Ki actually drugged him. His men tried to hit on me as well but Ji-Yong made it seem like we are a couple and they backed off a little bit. They still try to grab my ass or corner me away from Ji and Ki but I've been training hard and I can easily take care of myself against thugs like these.

"We should go check on her." Ji says and tugs on my arm. Just as I turn to follow him, my eyes fall on two very familiar figures and my pulse speeds up. I keep my eyes glued on them as Ji guides me towards the stairs. I can see that they are being followed as well. My heart speeds up and I pick up my pace. Ji seems surprised at my sudden urgancy to get to Boo Ki but I need to know what to do.

As we enter the VIP room, I motion her over to me and we pretend to dance as Ji goes to grab another beer.

"The guys are here." I whisper in Boo Ki's ear as we sensuously dance against each other. We ignore the cat calls and the cheering from the drunks at the table as they watch our erotic cover. "They've been followed."

Boo Ki rubs her lips against my shoulder and up along my neck to my ear as I wait for her decision. We can't let our cover be blown. We have to leave before Ji-Hoo or Woo Bin spots one of us or we have to get them out of here and somewhere safe.

"Maengs?" She whispers against my ear and grabs my waist to pull me closer. I nod. I recognize the way the Maeng family moves and it means the guys are in grave danger.

"Get them out of here and distract them Lorenzo and I so that we can leave. Do what you have to so that our men are safe." Boo Ki tells me as she rains kisses down my neck. I nod my head in understanding and Ki steps away to go back to Lorenzo's side as the song ends.

"Baby, I'm bored. Can we go somewhere else?" She says to Lorenzo with a pout. He looks at her in surprise but nods his head with a greasy smile.

"What about your friend?" He asks her.

"She wants to stay a little longer. They can catch up to us later."

Her voice trails off as Ji-Yong and I descend the stairs to the dance floor. He slings an arm over my shoulders and pulls me close.

"What's going on?" he asks.

"Ji-Hoo and Woo Bin are here. They are being followed by a Maeng. We have to get them to leave and lose the guy tailing them."

"Great. Too bad we can't just kill the mother fucker." Ji says irritably. "I'm assuming you've got your man and I got Ki's?"

I nod and look around. Ji-hoo and Woo Bin split up, which is lucky for us. It won't be hard to get Ji-Hoo's attention. Ji-Yong and I part ways and I weave my way through the crowd towards Ji-Hoo. The Maeng is standing in a spot where he can keep an eye on both men so it will be interesting to see who he decides to follow.

I sneak up behind Ji-Hoo and run my hand from the base of his neck to the bottom of his spine as I brush past him. His spine has always been sensitive to my touch and I feel him shiver as my hand drops away. Waiting till I'm several feet away, I finally look over my shoulder at him. His narrow eyes are staring at me intently but widen in shock when he sees my face. Giving him a smile, I resume my course towards the darker parts of the club and I know he is going to be following me.

Slipping into a dark hallway that leads to some private rooms, I wait till Ji-Hoo starts to pass by and then I grab his arm, pulling him into the darkness with me. Knowing there isn't much time I slam him against the wall and crash my lips onto his. He stiffens against me for a second before he realizes who I am and hungrily responds to our kiss. I pull the right side of his body towards me so that I can look over his shoulder and watch for the assassin. Ji-Hoo's kiss is intoxicating and he's making it hard for me to concentrate but I stay focused and watch as the Maeng only gives us a passing glance as he goes by. I managed to fool him into thinking that Ji-Hoo and I were just some couple looking to hook up and not the guy he's after.

I reluctantly break the kiss and look up at Ji-Hoo. We are both breathing hard after our quick make-out session and he rests his forehead against mine.

"Saia… god baby… I was so afraid-" I place a finger over his lips to stop him and step away from the wall. Our reunion is going to have to wait.

"You are being followed. We have to leave."

I can feel his eyes searching my face. I know he's surprised at my cool tone and demeanor but I can't afford to be emotional right now. Grabbing his arm, we slip out of the hallway and towards the rear exit of the club. I'm not really sure what Boo Ki intends for us to do with them but I can only think of one safe place to go.

_Aunt Mo Nae is going to kill me…_ I inwardly groan and make my way to the sleek, black motorcycle I drove here. I hand him one of the helmets and quickly get on. He sits behind me and grips my waist tightly as we speed down the alley towards the street. I can hear another bike following us and I weave through traffic to try and lose them. We speed through countless side streets and alleyways till I am certain I have finally lost him.

Turning down a familiar back alley, I slow the bike as I approach the entrance to our hideout. As I pull into the shadows of an old building, the pavement curves down into an underground entrance. I stop in front of a door and scan my handprint for it to open. Once inside the garage, I stop the bike and we both dismount.

Ji-Hoo looks around curiously at all the different black unmarked cars parked here. I leave my helmet with the bike and head for the stairs in front of us. I can feel Ji-Hoo follow me but my heart is racing. Whether it's because I am so close to Ji-Hoo or because I am nervous about what awaits me inside, I have no idea.

**(^_^)**

**JI-YONG'S POV:**

As I make my way towards Woo Bin, I can see Saia has already caught Ji-Hoo's attention and also the attention of the asshole that is following him. I know Sai can lose him but I still got to get Woo Bin out of here just in case there is another Maeng lurking close by.

Grabbing a beer out of some guy's hand, I make my way towards Woo Bin and "accidently" bump into him. The beer goes all over him and he looks at me in annoyance. This part of the club is dark enough that he can't see my face clearly.

"What the fuck?" he hisses and I grab him by the collar of his jacket.

"That's right asshole! What the fuck? Can't you see where you're walking?" I yell in his face. With his face now inches from mine, I see the recognition spread in his eyes and I smirk at him. Maybe I don't give this rich Mafia boy enough credit. "Let's take this outside."

Grabbing him by the back of his neck, I push him forward and out a side entrance of the club. I can tell I just hurt his pride by pushing him around and I smile to myself in satisfaction. This punk still needs to prove himself to me before I will believe he is worthy of my sister.

My eyes continue to scan the street for anyone suspicious as I let go of his neck and head for my car.

"Let's go. We don't have much time." I say evenly.

"Ji-Hoo-"

"Is safe." I cut him off and he follows me. He watches me suspiciously from the passenger seat as I pull onto the busy street and weave through traffic. I keep my eyes on the road and behind us, looking for anyone in pursuit but we seem to be clear.

"What happened? Where have you been? Where is Boo Ki?" He growls at me. A month ago I would have made a snide remark but after the conditioning that Mo Nae put Ki, Sai, and I through, I keep myself focused on my task. We have numbed our emotions and frozen our hearts because our enemy is dark and unforgiving. We can't afford to have doubts or hesitation. All of our lives are on the line.

"I can't answer that." I calmly reply. "I can only take you to someone who might." I know that taking him to Mo Nae is risky. Her wrath is not to be taken lightly but I honestly don't know what else to do with this guy. Ki wants him safe and there's only one safe place in Rome.

_Dammit… I am never going to hear the end of this…_

**A/n: A reader mentioned in previous chapters that I ended a couple of them with Ji-Yong and here I am again. Lol. I guess I like using him as the "closer". ^_^**


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